It has been one week since four female wards of the state who were being housed at the Windsor Child Care facility in St Ann's Bay managed to make an escape and have not been seen since.

The search has continued for the girls who were found to be missing about 10 p.m. last Thursday during a routine roll call.

The missing girls have been identified as Margaret Crew, Sudian Ferrier and Nordia Peat, all 16 years old. The other girl Melissa Burgess is 17.

The police say it is theorised that the girls escaped by cutting a hole in the perimeter fence.