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Man kills himself before Mendocino County sex-abuse trial

The Press Democrat - 3/26/2019

March 26-- Mar. 26--A Paradise-area man scheduled to go to trial in Mendocino County on child sex-abuse charges killed himself before jury selection Monday, according to the Mendocino County District Attorney's office.

Aaron Douglas Burrows, 51, was facing a felony charge of criminal sexual penetration of a 9-year-old. He failed to show up in court for the start of jury selection Monday morning, said Mike Geniella, a spokesman for the Mendocino County District Attorney's office.

Butte County law enforcement located Burrows and determined he took his own life sometime Sunday night or early Monday morning.

"It was kind of disturbing and shocking and unsettling all at the same time," Geniella said. "Anyone who was connected with (this case) is in a little bit of disbelief."

Geniella said he couldn't remember a similar occurrence in his seven years working for the Mendocino County DA.

Burrows was charged with the crime for an incident that was reported following a camping trip to Fort Bragg, Geniella said, and a subsequent investigation uncovered a prior alleged victim of Burrows' who was going to testify at the trial.

Authorities are making arrangements for ongoing counseling for both victims, Geniella said.

You can reach Staff Writer Andrew Beale at 707-521-5205 or andrew.beale@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @iambeale.

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