Authorities were searching Wednesday for a convicted murder with an "extensive" criminal history who was accidentally released from custody while awaiting a court appearance in South Carolina, the sheriff's office says.

York County Sheriff's Office

Thomas Aaron Whitlock was released Monday from the York County Detention Center, which only realized the mistake nearly 24 hours later when arrangements were being made to return him to prison, the York County Sheriff's Office says.

Thomas Aaron Whitlock, a 31-year-old convicted of second-degree murder in 2009, was let go Monday afternoon from the York County Detention Center -- which only realized the mistake nearly 24 hours later when arrangements were being made to return him to prison in Windsor, N.C., according to the York County Sheriff's Office.

Whitlock had been taken to York County for a court appearance on drug-related charges.

"I could go into a lot of discussions that we've had as to how this took place," Sheriff Bruce Bryant told The Charlotte Observer. "We deal with thousands and thousands of prisoners each year, book close to 7,000 prisoners each year. There has been a mistake made."

South Carolina records show Whitlock had previously been convicted on burglary, robbery and drug charges. He was arrested in April 2010 by FBI agents who found him hiding under a home in Dallas, Texas, and he was later sentenced to between 11 and 14 years in the death of Jamie Thompson in Charlotte, the newspaper said.

The Sheriff’s Office said it was working with other law enforcement agencies and the North Carolina Division of Adult Correction to find the fugitive. Bryant also has launched an investigation into how Whitlock was released.

Bryant announced a $5,000 reward for information leading to Whitlock's recapture. People with information were urged to call the Sheriff's Office at 803-628-3059 or to go online at http://www.yorkcrimestoppers.com/.

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Martin Springer, 49, is seen in this image provided by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

A Los Angeles teacher accused of committing lewd acts on a child was freed on $300,000 bond early Friday, authorities said.

In a statement sent to NBC News, Captain Mike Parker of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said Martin Bernard Springer, 49, a teacher at Miramonte Elementary School, was expected to leave the jail facility "soon" after being formally released from custody at 2 a.m. local time (5 a.m. ET).

"He was fitted with a court-ordered ankle monitoring device before his release," Parker's statement added.

On Thursday, the sheriff's department's website mistakenly reported that Springer had been released just before 7 p.m. local time Thursday (10 p.m. ET), NBC News reported.

Springer is charged with three felony counts of lewd acts upon a child under the age of 14.

He was the second teacher at Miramonte to be arrested.

Mark Berndt, 61, was arrested and charged with committing lewd acts against 23 students.

Students, parents protest as troubled school reopens

On Thursday, Miramonte reopened with a new teaching staff.

About 100 protesters who opposed the removal of the entire staff for the rest of the school year demonstrated outside, with signs saying "Give us our teachers back" and "LAUSD Shame on You."

NBC News contributed to this report.