Police said the boy's mom called the boy's probation officer, and the officer brought the boy to the station just before midnight.
He was arrested on a juvenile warrant for possession of a controlled substance about 2:40 p.m. Thursday afternoon in the 4400 block of West Maypole Avenue, police said.
He was taken to the 11th District police station at Harrison Street and Kedzie Avenue, where he was being held when he escaped about 5 p.m.
The boy banged his handcuffs against a bench and they broke, police said.
It's not clear where the boy went between his escape and return to police custody.