A 59-year-old Mobile neurosurgeon facing child pornography charges was found dead inside a vehicle in the parking lot of an old urgent care center on Monday afternoon, authorities said. Shawn Clark had been released on bond just days earlier following a grand jury indictment, and his death comes amid an ongoing criminal case that had already landed him in jail twice this year.
Police responded Monday afternoon to 6901 Airport Boulevard, where Clark was found dead inside a vehicle, according to WSFA. The location, per WKRG, was the parking lot of the old Compass Urgent Care building. Clark's attorney, Christine Hernandez, told FOX10 News that she is the one who found him inside the vehicle and called for help, according to the WSFA report.
Mobile police said the circumstances did not point to foul play. “At this time, this does not appear to be a criminal case, but an autopsy will be performed to determine the cause of death,” the department said, per the station's report. A law enforcement source separately told FOX10 News that the death appeared to be a suicide, though that account has not been confirmed as an official determination, the same outlet noted.
A Case That Had Already Taken a Dark Turn
Clark, who operated Clark Neurosurgery & Spine in west Mobile, had been facing child pornography charges for months before his death. He was charged with five counts of production and five counts of possession of child pornography in Mobile County, along with four counts of possession in Baldwin County, according to FOX10. His medical license had been suspended, the station reported.
Investigators said the case traced back to a tip received in March. According to WKRG, the arrest followed a tip to the Mobile County Sheriff's Office Internet Crimes Against Children Unit regarding possible child sexual abuse material linked to IP addresses tied to a Fairhope home and a Mobile County medical office. Clark had pleaded not guilty in a Mobile court, the station noted.
Clark was released from Baldwin County Jail on October 10, according to WSFA. While in custody, he had attempted suicide, reportedly breaking a plastic dish and using a jagged piece to cut his arm on September 17, WKRG reported.
Conflicting Accounts on the Final Indictment's Timing
Reports differ on exactly when the latest, 10-count indictment against Clark moved through the system. mynbc15.com reported that his death came the same day a 10-count indictment was filed against him in Mobile County Circuit Court, on November 2. FOX10, however, reported that he was arrested on the grand jury indictment on October 30 and released on a signature bond. The underlying court filing has not been independently reviewed to resolve the discrepancy.
As first reported by AL.com, Clark's death caps a months-long sequence of arrests, hospitalizations and court appearances connected to the child pornography case. Mobile police have not announced further details beyond confirming that an autopsy will determine the official cause of death.
