Christopher Scholtes, a father who was facing prison time for the death of his two-year-old daughter, passed away. The Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed his death on Wednesday without disclosing the cause.
Scholtes missed a court hearing in Pima County Superior Court on the same day, prior to his scheduled sentencing on November 21. Authorities stated that the temperature inside the car where his daughter was left reached approximately 43°C, resulting in her death due to heat exposure.
The 38-year-old had previously entered a plea agreement with prosecutors in October, admitting to second-degree murder in the July 2024 incident involving his daughter, Parker.
Although he was expected to be imprisoned for 20 to 30 years, Scholtes had been out on bail until the day of his scheduled custody on Wednesday. His arrest in July 2024 came after he left his youngest child in the car while indulging in video games.
During the incident, Scholtes was found to be searching for explicit content on his PlayStation while stating that he left his daughter in the car outside their Marana residence, about 100 miles south of Phoenix, so she could sleep.
He had parked the car with the child inside under direct sunlight, with the air conditioning reportedly running for only 30 minutes before the engine automatically shut off. The tragic discovery was made by the girl’s mother hours later, as the A/C had stopped working and outdoor temperatures had soared to 43°C.
Surveillance footage showed Scholtes engaging in illegal activities before returning home and realizing his daughter was still in the car. Emergency services were called, but sadly, Parker did not survive.
An autopsy revealed the child’s body temperature to be 108.9°F (42.72°C), with the official cause of death attributed to environmental heat exposure, ruled as an accident.
Investigations uncovered that Scholtes had a history of leaving his children unattended in the car for prolonged periods, as reported by his two other children. The elder daughters expressed concerns about their father’s behavior to authorities.
His wife, Erika Scholtes, defended him in court, describing him as a valued member of the community who had made a regrettable mistake. She pleaded for his release to facilitate the family’s mourning process together.
Prior to his demise, Scholtes faced legal action from his 17-year-old daughter from a previous marriage, alleging repeated abuse and emotional trauma inflicted by him over the years.
Accusations of assault, battery, child abuse, and financial misconduct were raised against Scholtes in the lawsuit, pointing to a troubled history of mistreatment and neglect.
Despite public outcry, Scholtes was granted court permission to travel to Hawaii with his family, a decision that stirred controversy due to the circumstances surrounding his daughter’s death.
Following the tragic incident, Scholtes and his wife had relocated to a new residence in the suburbs of Phoenix, distancing themselves from the location where their daughter lost her life.
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