Nineteen-year-old Courtney M. Perkins of Niantic has no criminal record, but she has accrued three misdemeanor larceny charges in the past week and may now be charged with attempting to escape from custody.  

Perkins had been arrested by Groton Town police on Oct. 28 for fifth-degree larceny, according to court records.

On Tuesday, West Hartford police charged her with possession of drug paraphernalia. And on Wednesday, state police charged her with sixth-degree larceny, according to court records. 

Taken from New London Superior Court Wednesday to Lawrence + Memorial Hospital for treatment of drug withdrawal symptoms, Perkins, who was being supervised by two male judicial marshals, allegedly went into a women's bathroom, pushed through a ceiling tile and attempted to crawl to her escape.

The marshals, Stephen Barrett and Waldren Phillips, apprehended Perkins and reported the incident to state police, who began an investigation Thursday and are preparing an arrest warrant, according to court testimony.

Perkins eventually may be released to a drug treatment program, but for now will be spending time at the Janet S. York Correctional Institution.

Judge Omar A. Williams set her bond at $50,000 cash Thursday when she appeared before him for the second day in a row.

The judge told Perkins that because of her addiction, she is a risk to public safety and to herself.

In one of her cases, she is accused of taking money from a cash register at a Dunkin' Donuts, an incident the judge said showed the extent of her addiction.

"I'm doing this to save your life," Williams said of the high bond and the requirement that she post it at court so that a judge could impose conditions of release.

"What I don't want is for the parents to post bond without treatment, resulting in a deadly relapse or a serious crime," Williams said.

The day before, Williams had ordered Perkins held on bond while Perkins' mother looked into getting Perkins into a treatment program.

Defense attorney Jennifer L. Baldwin told the judge Thursday that the mother had been unable to make the arrangements overnight. 

"If you left here yesterday, you know what you would have done," Williams told Perkins. "You would have tried to use again."

k.florin@theday.com

Twitter: @KFLORIN