Suicide Note Found In Jailed Doctor's Cell: Santa Cruz County

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, CA — A man arrested on suspicion of sex offenses against children took his own life Sunday at the Santa Cruz County jail, sheriff's officials said.

James Kohut, 59, was found dead around 5:45 a.m. as breakfast was beginning. Kohut was a neurosurgeon whose official address when he was arrested was Arkansas but he was also associated with addresses in Santa Cruz, Merced County and Tucson, Arizona.

Kohut was arrested in May 2017 and was facing dozens of offenses related to sex with children, sheriff's spokeswoman Ashley Keehn said.

Kohut left a note inside his cell before he took his life indicating his determination to kill himself. Sheriff's officials said he partially cut his femoral artery, a large artery in his thigh.

Kohut did not share a cell with anyone else.

When he was arrested, sheriff's officials thought he might harm himself and in July 2017 he indeed tried to kill himself.

Kohut was arrested along with two others in May 2017 after Watsonville police were given a video of adults abusing children as young as 3 years old.

Another inmate was found dead Monday at the jail in what is suspected to be a homicide. Watsonville resident German Carillo, 24, was found dead around 11 a.m. in his cell.

Carrillo was initially charged as a 17-year-old in 2013 as one of multiple defendants in the beating and stabbing death of Felipe Reyes in Watsonville, county prosecutors said.

Sheriff's officials believe another inmate killed Carrillo. An autopsy on Carrillo will be performed this week.

—Bay City News