Did the female prison worker who reportedly helped two fugitives escape a maximum-security prison have a relationship with both inmates?
The hunt for the two prison escapees is taking a bizarre turn. Fifty-one-year-old Joyce Mitchell , suspected of aiding them, had relationships with both men, according to published reports.
Mitchell reportedly fell hard for smooth-talker Richard Matt, who "made her feel special." It's said she even "thought it was love.” Mitchell was reportedly investigated for having a possible relationship with the other escapee, 34-year-old David Sweat, but no evidence was found to take action against her.
"Her self-esteem must be awful low to let somebody take advantage of her like that," said Helen Premo, who knows Mitchell. She was once married to Mitchell's ex-husband.
Read: Detective Who Sent Fugitive Killer Richard Matt to Prison: I Fear For My Life
"Knowing what you know about Joyce, were you surprised that she may have had something to do with these two inmates escaping?" INSIDE EDITION'S Les Trent asked her.
"No, not really because this person made her feel good and she was under the impression that he loved her. But, he's a con artist and they do this for a living. They lie," said Helen.
It's happened before. Bobbi Parker was the wife of the Oklahoma State Prison's deputy warden, but she made headlines when she fell for a convicted killer, Randolph Dial, and even helped him to escape.
They were fugitives for 11 years before they were found living in a trailer on a chicken farm in Texas. Parker was sentenced to a year in prison. An episode of Law & Order: Criminal Intent was based on the case.
"How I got to this point, I don't know," said Toby Young, who ran a program in a Kansas prison, allowing inmates to train service dogs. She fell in love with a convicted killer, John Manard, and helped him escape by hiding him in a dog cage.
They were caught after 12 days on the run and she was sentenced to two years in prison.
Read: Authorities: Woman Who Worked in Prison Tailor Shop Might Have Helped Killers Escape
Illicit relationships between prison staff and inmates are a recurring plot line on Orange Is the New Black.
Prison expert Larry Levine told INSIDE EDITION, "Any female correctional worker in America that was having some type of affair with an inmate, and probably even another staff member, you can bet they've all taken three steps back right now."
In the wake of the great escape, prisons across America are cracking down on these dangerous liasons.
Watch Below: Joyce Mitchell's Son Insists: My Mom Didn't Help Convicts Escape Prison
