An inmate escaped from a North Carolina jail through a ventilation system while his cellmates stuffed a mattress to make it seem like he was asleep, the Craven County Sheriff’s Office said Monday.

An inmate who escaped the Craven County Jail in North Carolina over the weekend has a criminal history and previously has tried to flee police, officials say.

The Craven County Sheriff's Office said John Matthew Nigh was discovered missing from his cell at 4 p.m. Sunday, and that his cellmates helped conceal his escape.

Authorities in North Carolina are conducting a manhunt for John Matthew Nigh, an inmate who escaped from the Craven County Jail in New Bern by navigating through the facility's ventilation system. The escape occurred on Sunday afternoon (January 26),