A Texas paedophile died this week after drinking a mysterious liquid from a water bottle as a jury found him guilty of child sexual assault, officials said.

Edward Leclair, 57, was on trial in Denton, Texas, for five counts of sexual abuse and had been free on bond until the verdict Thursday, the NY Post reports.

“As these verdicts were being read, he chugged a bottle of water he had at [the] counsel table,” Denton County Assistant District lawyer Jamie Beck told CNN on Friday, adding the liquid seemed cloudy.

“Our investigator noticed him chug the water. He told the bailiff he might want to go check on him. The bailiff did. He was unconscious in the holding cell.”

Leclair’s defence lawyer Mike Howard said, “Shortly after entering the holdover cell, he started vomiting, and emergency services were called.”

Mr Howard said Leclair had taken a “long drink from a water bottle” while listening to the verdict, but the lawyer did not know what was in the bottle.

Medics tried to revive Leclair. He was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.

An autopsy was ordered, and the cause of death is listed as pending.