Prison Inmate Found Dead

The death of a prison inmate has prompted an investigation.

According to the Kansas Department of Corrections,  Hutchinson Correctional Facility resident Watson Kevin Bradford, 51, died Wednesday. He was found unresponsive in his cell Wednesday afternoon. Staff began life-saving measures immediately and continued after emergency medical services arrived.

Bradford was pronounced deceased by medical staff. The cause of death is pending the results of an independent autopsy.

Per protocol, when a resident dies in the custody of the KDOC, the death is under investigation by the KDOC and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. The investigation is currently ongoing.

Bradford was serving a life sentence, for convictions of first-degree murder, attempted robbery, and forgery committed in Leavenworth County.

The Hutchinson Correctional Facility is the state’s third-largest facility. It serves only adult males and has a capacity of 1,788 residents.