Convicted Cleveland kidnapper and rapist Ariel Castro was found dead in his jail cell Tuesday evening from an apparent suicide by hanging. Here is a statement released by JoEllen Smith, of the Ohio Department of Corrections, to 19 Action News
Inmate Ariel Castro was found hanging in his cell this evening at 9:20 pm at the Correctional Reception Center in Orient. He was housed in protective custody which means he was in a cell by himself and rounds are required every 30 minutes at staggered intervals. Upon finding inmate Castro, prison medical staff began performing life saving measures. Shortly after he was transported to OSUMC where he was pronounced dead at 10:52 pm. A thorough review of this incident is underway and more information can be provided as it becomes available pending the status of the investigation.
On August 1 Ariel Castro was given a life sentence plus 1,000 years for kidnapping and sexually assaulting Amanda Berry, Michelle Knight and Gina DeJesus while holding them captive in his Cleveland house for more than a decade.
As the statement states, officials are currently investigating Castro’s death.
