Authorities huddle on the sidewalk at Markham and Center Streets in downtown Little Rock Monday morning shortly after an inmate escaped while being taken into the Pulaski County Courthouse. ( Gavin Lesnick

Authorities are looking for a rape suspect who escaped from custody while being transported to the Pulaski County Courthouse on Monday morning.

Pulaski County sheriff's office Lt. Carl Minden said it happened at about 8 a.m. and authorities were still responding.

Police identified the escapee as Anael Castro-Hernandez, a 30-year-old Hispanic man who was being held on three counts of rape. He stands 5 feet 1 inch, weighs about 118 pounds and has shoulder-length hair.

He was last seen running south on Center Street, and a shirt Castro-Hernandez was believed to be wearing was later found at Sixth and Scott streets, Minden said.

At 11:15 a.m., an Arkansas State Police helicopter was searching from above a large wooded area west of Interstate Park in Little Rock. Meanwhile, authorities on the ground, including some with K-9 officers, were searching on foot. Some were gathered in the park, while others were posted on the other side of the wooded area near 65th Street.

Speaking on a break from searching the wooded area, Minden said deputies were making their way through rough, swampy terrain. Officers at one point spotted a man matching the escapee's description along railroad tracks near Interstate Park, but he got away.

"It's kind of like finding a needle in a haystack right now," Minden said. "Until we have reason to believe he's not in this area, yeah, we're going to keep doing what we're doing. And then if we get anymore tips, we'll go hit that. We're not going to quit until we find him. That's all there is to it."

Minden said Castro-Hernandez somehow escaped as he was being escorted with other inmates from the transport van to the downtown courthouse at Markham and Broadway. Preliminary scanner traffic suggested Castro-Hernandez slipped out of his restraints, though Minden said he could not confirm that.

Castro-Hernandez was arrested in May 2013 on accusations he repeatedly had sex with a 10-year-old girl, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported then. He was due in court Monday for a mental evaluation.

Little Rock School District spokesman Pamela Smith said Rockefeller Elementary School was put on voluntary lockdown after the district received word from the sheriff's office that police were looking for the inmate in the area. Smith said extra patrols have been requested at the school and the lockdown would remain in effect until Castro-Hernandez is apprehended or sighted further from the area. EStem Public Charter Schools were previously on lockdown, however officers have since given them the all clear, school officials said. No other Little Rock schools were on lockdown as of noon, Smith said.

"We have been notified by the Little Rock Police Department that the escapee has left the downtown Little Rock area and that we can feel comfortable returning to normal operations," the school said in a statement online. "We will continue to monitor the situation."

Castro-Hernandez, who was also being held on an Immigrations and Customs Enforcement hold, should be considered dangerous, Minden said,

"If you see him, don't make contact with him. Contact authorities and let us deal with him," Minden said.

Check back for updates on this developing story.

Photo by Pulaski County sheriff's office

Anael Castro-Hernandez

Photo by Pulaski County sheriff's office

Anael Castro-Hernandez

Crews search by ground, air for escapee Authorities say they will continue searching a wooded area west of Interstate Park for a rape suspect who escaped from custody Monday morning. (By Gavin Lesnick)

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Photo by Gavin Lesnick

A police officer and his K-9 search in the area of Interstate Park Monday morning after an inmate escaped from custody while being transported to the Pulaski County Courthouse.

Photo by Gavin Lesnick

Authorities search from the air and on the ground in the Interstate Park area in Little Rock for an inmate who escaped from custody Monday morning while being transported to the Pulaski County Courthouse.