Doctor Found Dead In Jail Cell: Santa Cruz County

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, CA — An autopsy will be performed later this week on a prisoner found dead in his cell Sunday morning at the Santa Cruz County main jail.

James Kohut, 59, who has been in jail since May 2017 on felony sex-related charges, did not share a cell with other inmates and was in a protective housing unit, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff-Coroner said in a news release.

Correctional Officers found him alone in his cell when breakfast service began at 5:45 a.m.

Kohut, a neurosurgeon jailed on multiple felony counts related to the alleged sexual abuse of four children, worked at Dominican Hospital.

"The Coroner's Division, detectives and crime scene investigators are conducting a death investigation to determine the cause and manner of death," the office said.

—Bay City News