A man who admitted to causing the death of his two-year-old daughter by leaving her in a hot car while watching adult videos has died on the day he was supposed to go to prison.
Christopher Scholtes, 38, was found dead by Phoenix Police Department officers just before 6am on the day he was scheduled to be incarcerated before his sentencing hearing on November 21.
Pima County Attorney Laura Conover stated at a press conference that Scholtes had agreed to a plea deal for second-degree murder, potentially leading to a 30-year prison term. However, instead of facing the consequences in court, he took his own life the night before.
Conover expressed sympathy for Scholtes’ family and recognized the complexity of the situation. She also addressed Scholtes’ two remaining daughters, who have now lost both a sister and a father within two years, offering them words of support and encouragement.
The father had previously struck a deal in October, admitting to the murder of his daughter, Parker, who died in July 2024 from heat exposure after being left in a car on a scorching 42-degree Celsius day. Scholtes was expected to serve a prison sentence of 20 to 30 years but had been out on bail until the day he was due to be taken into custody.
Scholtes and his wife had recently moved to a new home in Phoenix, leaving behind the tragic incident that occurred in Marana, where Parker lost her life. In court, his wife defended him, calling their daughter’s death a mistake. Scholtes admitted to leaving his daughter in the car with the air conditioning on for 30 minutes, which ultimately led to the tragic outcome.
Initially pleading not guilty, Scholtes later accepted a plea deal that could have resulted in a harsher punishment, facing charges of second-degree murder and child abuse.
Moreover, Scholtes was recently sued by his eldest daughter and wife for emotional distress, assault, battery, and fraud. Evidence suggested that he had a history of leaving his children unattended in cars for extended periods, leading to tragic consequences.
His daughters informed the authorities that he had previously left them in cars and often got distracted while playing games or attending to other tasks, according to police reports.
