Many questions remain unanswered as law enforcement officials try to understand how Rafael Ortega, the 18 yr. old escapee who prompted school lockdowns and a massive manhunt unprecedented in Kingsville, was able to flee Monday from the custody of Kleberg County Sheriff’s Department detention officer’s.

The situation is currently under investigation by the Kleberg County Sheriff’s Office to see how Ortega could have escaped while being transported by van to the Kleberg County Courthouse and whether or not the situation could have been prevented.

Chief Deputy Juan Gonzalez said the investigation should be completed within the coming weeks, but could take longer because the sheriff’s department wants to be very thorough and make sure every detail is covered.

Whether the findings will be made public is uncertain.

Kleberg County Sheriff Ed Mata has shunned media inquiries, leaving his chief deputy to deflect a barrage of questions.

Sheriff’s department officials can’t even say how many detention officers were transporting Ortega and a group of other prisoners to the courthouse that day.

Among their many other duties, Kleberg County Detention Officers typically oversee the transport of Kleberg County Jail prisoners to and from court appearances and travel to other counties to pick up inmates as well.

“Our detention officers take their job very seriously and are extremely determined,” Gonzalez said, noting that if the escape was due to a violation or misjudgment on their part, it would be corrected and assessed immediately so that another situation like this could be prevented.

Ortega is currently in custody at the Kleberg County Jail where he will remain until trial and is being segregated from other inmates for his safety.