How did St. John the Baptist escape the murder of the babies directed by King Herod after the birth of Jesus?

Scripture does not say, but Herod apparently limited the murders to the region (Matt. 2:16) where he knew the Messiah was to be born (Matt. 2:1-6). So far as we know, St. John the Baptist and his parents did not live in Bethlehem or its immediate vicinity—otherwise Mary and Joseph could have stayed with them while in the area for the enrollment (Luke 2:4-7)—but in the hill country, in an unnamed city of Judah (Luke 1:39-40), which may have been distant enough from the attack directed by Herod to protect the infant John.