Convicted child rapist dead in Delaware prison suicide

DOVER, Del. (AP) - Authorities say a Delaware prison inmate serving a 30-year sentence for child rape has killed himself.

Department of Correction officials announced Monday that 35-year-old Bryson T. Strickland was pronounced dead shortly after 6:40 p.m. Friday.

Prison officials said foul play was not suspected in Strickland's death but refused to provide any other details.

A spokeswoman for the state Division of Forensic Science said the case was ruled a suicide.

Strickland began serving a 30-year sentence in March 2007 after being convicted of two counts of first-degree rape by a person of trust involving a victim younger than 16 years old. He was arrested after a 14-year-old girl reported the rapes to her mother, who contacted police.