Police Investigating Suicide of Alleged Sex Predator Inside Miami-Dade Jail

An alleged sex predator hung himself inside a South Florida jail, and police want to know how it happened.

The new head of Miami-Dade Corrections took over just three weeks ago after much criticism of the department’s previous director Timothy Ryan. Now police detectives are investigating the jail to see what happened to Eduardo Calderin, a man who had only been in custody one day.

On Thursday, Calderin was charged with sexually abusing two young girls. A check of him found that he used to run a business in Hialeah and no significant criminal history, but all of a sudden he was behind bars at the Turner Gilford Knight Correctional Center, and a short time later dead.

Calderin was held at TGK in west Miami-Dade and appeared in bond court over a video hookup. The investigating officer, Det. Jacquelyn Gimenez, gave the judge background on the case.

Court records show that Calderin was charged with six different felonies. Officially, Calderin was facing two counts of sexual battery on a minor, two counts of lewd and lascivious molestation of a child younger than 12, and two counts of lewd exhibition of a minor between 16 and 18 years old.

The judge found probable cause on all counts, and said no bond on the first two. Hours later, Calderin was found dead.

The corrections department told NBC 6 he committed suicide by hanging himself inside his cell. It said it cannot comment beyond that as the death is under investigation.

His death comes three weeks after Marydell Guevara took over as director when Ryan retired.

Walter Clark is a retired corrections officer who was highly critical of Ryan's administration. He says Calderin's suicide indicates Guevara isn't taking the proactive steps needed to make a difference.

Guevara was second in command when Ryan was in charge. The federal government has been keeping a close eye on the jail system and there have been some calls for the feds to just take over. Clearly, the guards can't be everywhere, but corrections officers NBC 6 spoke with say there are procedures to prevent the inmates from hurting others and themselves.

Miami-Dade Police are conducting a full investigation to see what happened.

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