Autopsy: Cook County Jail inmate committed suicide

A west suburban man recently charged with sexual assault died Thursday evening at the Cook County jail, and an autopsy found he committed suicide.

Jairo Avitia, 25, attended a bond hearing Jan. 24 after being charged with predatory criminal sexual assault, court records show. He was ordered held on $325,000.

The next day, Avitia apparently attempted to commit suicide at the jail and was taken to a hospital for treatment, Sophia Ansari, Cook County sheriff’s office spokeswoman, said, citing a preliminary report.

Avitia, of the 5200 block of West 25th Place in Cicero, was pronounced dead at 5:49 p.m. Thursday at Stroger Hospital, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

An autopsy Friday found he died of anoxic encephalopathy from hanging and ruled his death a suicide, the medical examiner’s office said.