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Orange County jail chief vows to find party responsible for inmate's mistaken release

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A day after Eyewitness News uncovered the mistaken release of inmate John Baker, Orange County Jail Chief Cornita Riley said she's going to find out who is responsible.

The jail's inmate management system failed to document that Baker was a state prisoner and was not to be released in May.

Riley said it shouldn't have happened because of backups built into the system.

"Not only is that initial person who gets the paperwork entering it into the system, but their work is checked and then that happens again before the inmate is released from custody," Riley said.

A Department of Corrections detainer document followed Baker to the jail to when he faced a new grand theft charge in April, but the DOC hold was never entered into the computer system.

The omission was missed by several people during the month he was at the jail, including the people who let him out.

“It's our responsibility and primarily my responsibility to be sure that staff is held accountable. That's what we do. Our job is to protect public safety and after mistakes occur, there (are) also consequences to those mistakes,” Riley said.

An hour after Eyewitness News' first report on the mistaken release Thursday, Baker was picked up by the Sheriff's Office and locked back up.

The jail said it is possible Baker won't be charged because a judge did set his bond and he could make the argument that he was confused.