A man who admitted to causing the death of his two-year-old daughter by leaving her in a hot car while watching adult content passed away on the day he was supposed to go to jail. Christopher Scholtes, 38, was found dead by Phoenix Police just before 6 am on Wednesday, November 5, the day of his scheduled incarceration before his sentencing on November 21.
Pima County Attorney Laura Conover revealed that Scholtes had agreed to a plea deal for second-degree murder, potentially leading to a 30-year prison term. However, he took his own life the night before he was to face justice. Conover expressed condolences to Scholtes’ family and acknowledged the complexity of the situation, especially for his two surviving daughters, who have faced significant losses.
Scholtes had previously struck a plea agreement in October for the death of his daughter, Parker, who tragically perished from heat exposure in a hot car during a scorching summer day. He was expected to serve 20 to 30 years in prison but had been out on bail until the day he was to be taken into custody.
The tragic incident occurred at the family’s residence in Phoenix, where Parker was left unattended in the car with the air conditioning on while her mother, Erika, was at work. Erika defended her husband in court, calling her daughter’s death a mistake. Scholtes admitted that he had left Parker in the car for 30 minutes while she was asleep, leading to the tragic outcome.
Despite initially pleading not guilty and rejecting a milder plea deal earlier, Scholtes eventually accepted the harsher terms of 20 to 30 years for second-degree murder and child abuse charges. He was also facing a lawsuit from his eldest daughter and wife for emotional distress, assault, battery, and fraud related to the incident. Reports indicated a pattern of leaving children unattended in cars and being distracted while caring for them, as mentioned in police records.
The family’s tragic ordeal has left a community in shock and raised concerns about child safety and parental responsibility.