Danelo Cavalcante

REACTIONS TO CAVALCANTE’S ESCAPE

during his escape and that his ultimate goal may have been to head back south to his homeland of Brazil. Meanwhile, West Chester University, a campus about six miles from the prison, canceled all classes due to the search, announcing that a university ID would be required to access all campus buildings. At 11:30 p.m., local Chester County police received a report of an attempted burglary at the 1100 block of Ballintree Lane in Pocopson Township. Authorities were unable to determine whether Cavalcante was connected to that incident. Around ten minutes later, at 11:40 p.m., the first confirmed sighting of Cavalcante occurred since his escape a day earlier. Cavalcante had broken into a home on Waterglen Drive, where resident Ryan Drummond and his family were asleep. Drummond Cavalcante’s sudden escape caused a massive uproar across the US, monopolizing monthly news headlines. Police presence was at an all time high in Chester County and its surrounding areas, with many locals afraid to leave their homes. Local resident George Glauner told the Philadelphia Inquirer about the tense situation in Pennsylvania, stating, “Doors are locked, cars are locked.” Another local, Joe Delahanty, told news outlets that the heavy police presence had caused many inconveniences, expressing dismay that law enforcement had not yet caught Cavalcante. Meanwhile, Sarah Brandão, the sister of Cavalcante’s victim, Deborah Brandão, expressed extreme worry regarding Cavalcante’s escape. “I haven’t slept for many days . . . I have been waking up with fright at night. I nap and wake up with fright.” (Freitas 2023)

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Danelo Cavalcante