• Darriana Burton, 28, arrested for allegedly aiding inmate Derrick Groves' escape.
• At least 16 individuals have been arrested in connection with the jailbreak.
• Groves continues to evade capture with another inmate, Antoine Massey.

The girlfriend of one of the remaining escapees from the Orleans Parish Jail has been arrested for allegedly aiding his jailbreak. Darriana Burton, 28, was arrested on June 9 and is charged with conspiracy to commit simple escape. She is the girlfriend of Derrick Groves, a convicted murderer, who escaped with nine others on May 16 and remains at large alongside Antoine Massey, who faces multiple criminal charges, according to ABC News and CBS News.

Burton is described as having an "active involvement in the planning phase" of the escape, including facilitating vital communication between Groves and unidentified individuals outside the jail. The information comes from a police affidavit detailing a FaceTime call Groves made to Burton, where they discussed the escape plan under the pretense of vague conversation, suggesting other unmonitored communications occurred, according to The Hill and ABC News.

This escape has been labeled one of the worst in Louisiana's recent history, prompting an extensive manhunt and the arrest of over 16 individuals accused of aiding those who escaped. On July 9, Louisiana's Attorney General Liz Murrill stated the efforts to bring the fugitives back would continue unabated, emphasizing law enforcement's commitment to pursuing all individuals involved in the jailbreak, according to CBS News and The Hill.

Burton's employment at the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office ended in March 2023 after she was previously arrested for allegedly introducing contraband into the jail. Although those charges were dropped, her connections to the inmates have raised serious concerns about security within the facility, particularly as officials scramble to recapture Groves and Massey, according to CBS News and The Hill.