A 16-year-old girl wanted on a charge of making a criminal threat escaped from a vehicle in Lawrence on Wednesday afternoon while being transported to face those charges in Liberal.

Lawrence police Sgt. Mark Warren said officers were called to McDonald’s, 4911 W. Sixth St., at 2:33 p.m.

Warren said the girl was originally picked up in Topeka by an officer with the Juvenile Correction and Prevention Transport group, based in Liberal.

Warren said the transport officer left Liberal earlier in the day to drop off several juveniles around the state. The officer stopped in Topeka to pick up the 16-year-old and take her back to Liberal, but had to drop off another juvenile in Lawrence, Warren said.

The transport officer was heading back to Liberal, when the 16-year-old said she needed to use the restroom. They stopped at the McDonald’s, Warren said.

As the driver got out, the girl ran from the vehicle. She had complained earlier about her leg shackles being too tight, so the driver had loosened them, Warren said.

The shackles were found in the back of the car.

Eight Lawrence police units responded to the area and searched for the girl for a couple of hours, Warren said.

“She doesn’t appear to be a threat to the public,” Warren said.

Officers put out a notice for other law enforcement officials in the area to be on the lookout for the girl.