By Jim Hannah
The Cincinnati Enquirer

BURLINGTON - Law enforcement officials are investigating the death of a Boone County jail inmate.

Guards found Julian Caver, 29, of Forest Park unconscious during a routine cell check at 5:37 a.m. Friday. Caver was pronounced dead at St. Luke Hospital West in Florence at 6:29 a.m.

They said there were no signs of foul play.

"The death appears to be from natural causes," said Major Jack Banks, spokesman for the Boone County Sheriff's Department.

Boone County Jailer Ed Prindle said Carver may have died from a brain hemorrhage.

Boone County Coroner Doug Stith will perform the autopsy.

Caver was jailed on a felony theft charge, accused of shoplifting more than $300 in items from Bigg's discount store in Florence. He was scheduled to appear before a judge Friday.

Prindle said this is the first death of a Boone County inmate in at least 19 years.

The jail averages about 220 inmates between its work camp and main jail, which is in the county administration building in Burlington.

A new 362-bed jail is scheduled to open in October.

"Our condolences go out to the family," Prindle said.

"The autopsy will go along way in helping us determine what happened. We want to know if there is anything we can do in the future to help prevent something like this from happening."

E-mail jhannah@enquirer.com