A father who left his two-year-old daughter to die in a hot car while he watched adult content took another tragic turn as he was found dead before sentencing.
When the incident first occured, the two-year-old's mother sent a chilling text when she realised her daughter had passed away.
Investigators are still looking into the death of 37-year-old Christopher Scholtes.
The Shocking Incident: A Father's Deadly Distraction
On the day of July 9, 2024, temperatures in Arizona soared to 32°C (90°F), with the temperature rising even higher inside a parked vehicle.
Scholtes reportedly left his toddler, Parker, in the back seat of his 2003 Acura, under the false assumption that the air conditioning would keep her cool.
Scholtes, however, lost track of time while engaged in distractions like playing on his PlayStation, consuming alcohol, and even watching adult content online.
He allegedly kept his daughter in the car for over three hours, during which the internal temperature of the vehicle rose to 42°C (108°F).
By the time Parker was found, it was too late. A medical examiner later confirmed the toddler’s cause of death was heat exposure, a direct result of being left in the sweltering heat for hours without intervention.
A Heartbreaking Text Exchange
Text messages between Scholtes and his wife, Erika, revealed the shocking nature of this neglect, which prosecutors allege was not an isolated incident, per The Mirror.
As Parker was rushed to the hospital, Erika sent a painful message to her husband, stating: "I told you to stop leaving them in the car, how many times have I told you?"
The situation became even more tragic when she added: "We've lost her, she was perfect."
Scholtes, visibly distraught, replied: "Babe I'm sorry! How could I do this. I killed our baby, this can't be real."
A Pattern of Neglect
The investigation revealed troubling details about Scholtes’ behavior. His two surviving children, aged five and nine, told authorities that their father had a history of leaving them in the car while he was distracted inside the house.
According to one child, Scholtes often “got distracted by playing his game and putting his food away.”
The revelation of this pattern of neglect prompted further scrutiny from authorities.
A criminal complaint noted that Scholtes confessed to his wife, saying, “I killed our baby,” as he acknowledged the enormity of his actions.
He had originally claimed that he left Parker in the car for just 30 minutes after she fell asleep on their way back from shopping, but the timeline revealed by investigators contradicted this claim.
The Family’s Grief and Scholtes’ Legal Struggles
Erika, who works as an anesthesiologist, was at the hospital when Parker arrived. Despite the tragedy, she stood by her husband, describing her daughter’s death as a “mistake.”
Still, the legal consequences were dire.
Scholtes was charged with first-degree murder, but later agreed to a plea deal, entering a guilty plea to second-degree murder. Under the terms of the deal, he was facing a prison sentence of 16 to 30 years.
However, just days before his scheduled sentencing, Scholtes’ story took another tragic turn.
Christopher Scholtes Found Dead
Christopher Scholtes was found dead in his Phoenix home on November 20, 2024, the same day he was scheduled to appear in court for his sentencing.
Police are investigating his death as a possible suicide. Scholtes’ failure to appear at the hearing raised immediate concerns, and his body was discovered shortly thereafter.
Authorities are awaiting the official autopsy report from the Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office, but preliminary findings suggest suicide as the cause of death.
For the Scholtes family, this tragic incident has now taken another painful turn, bringing a sudden and sorrowful end to a case that had already devastated the community.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org.