A former substitute teacher in the St. Louis area who was charged with rape died in the St. Louis County Justice Center.
Brandon Holbrook was discovered dead in his jail cell on Monday, September 26. He was alone in the quarantined cell when he was discovered unresponsive. An autopsy is scheduled. In 2022, Holbrook is the third inmate to die at the St. Louis County Justice Center.
Prosecutors charged Brandon Holbrook, 30, with three counts of statutory rape and six counts of statutory sodomy.
An inappropriate relationship between Holbrook and a 14-year-old victim was reported to authorities earlier this month. When he first met the victim, he was a substitute teacher at Bernard Middle School, according to investigators.
Investigators believe Holbrook groomed the victim through social media platforms around May 2022, exchanging messages and photos with the victim. According to court documents, the suspect went to the victim’s home and engaged in se*ual acts at least three times.
Holbrook previously served as a substitute teacher around St. Louis County, including in the Mehlville School District.
