SANTA CRUZ—The former neurosurgeon accused of molesting multiple children committed suicide by slicing into his femoral artery on his left groin, Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s spokeswoman Ashley Keehn announced Wednesday.
James Kohut, 59, was found dead in his cell early in the morning on Oct. 13.
He was being kept in a single cell in protective custody.
The county coroner said the cause was “an incised wound of left groin with partial transection of the femoral artery.”
Authorities also found a note inside Kohut’s cell, which referenced his determination to take his own life, Keehn said.
The Sheriff’s office is not saying how Kohut cut himself. Keehn also declined to reveal additional details of Kohut’s note.
He has been in custody since May 14, 2017, when he was placed on suicide watch. He tried to kill himself a month later and was placed back on suicide watch.
Kohut was moved to a protective unit in March and returned to the observation unit in September for six days before returning to his single cell.
