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Man who pleaded guilty to child abuse found dead in cell

HOUTZDALE — A Blanchard man serving a sentence of 15 to 30 years for charges of child sex abuse died in his cell at Houtzdale state prison last Sunday.

Corrections officers found Joseph Skrtich, 50, unresponsive in his cell at 6:47 p.m. on Father’s Day. They and medical personnel performed CPR on him, and he was taken to Mount Nittany Medical Center, State College. He was pronounced dead nearly 45 minutes later.

On Oct. 24, 2017, Rockview State Police troopers arrested Skrtich for sexual abuse that happened at different locations around Centre County.

In April he pleaded guilty to more than 40 counts of child sexual abuse that included felony aggravated indecent assault of a child, felony unlawful contact with a minor, felony indecent assault, felony corruption of minors and misdemeanor indecent assault.

He was sentenced July 25, 2017 and had remained at SCI Houtz-dale since Dec. 26, 2017.

State police at Clearfield and the Clear-field County coroner continue an investigation into the cause of his death.

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