Inmate charged with child sex assault found dead in cell

An inmate at the Contra Costa County jail in Richmond was found dead of an apparent suicide Wednesday afternoon, sheriff’s officials said. Enrique Pina, 72, of Walnut Creek was found around 1:40 p.m. hanging by a bedsheet attached to his bunk.

Sheriff’s officials said Pina was in jail after being arrested Sept. 24, 2018, on suspicion of sex offenses against a child. Pina was charged three days later by county prosecutors and was being held on $4.8 million bail.

Pina was suffering from a terminal illness, according the sheriff’s office. Sheriff’s officials said Pina was evaluated in September by a mental health clinician and was cleared to remain in the module where he was staying.

Contra Costa Health Services was monitoring Pina.

Pina was formerly a groundskeeper at Palmer School near Walnut Creek. The female victim was not a student at the school.