Christopher Scholtes, an Arizona resident who confessed to leaving his 2-year-old daughter in a hot car while he engaged in adult content inside his home, has reportedly passed away. The Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s office has confirmed his death, which is currently being probed by Phoenix police as a possible suicide.
Scholtes was due to be taken into custody but did not show up at the scheduled hearing. He had previously admitted to second-degree murder in October and was potentially facing a sentence of up to 30 years in prison. His sentencing was slated for this month, but he was required to report to prison before the official sentence was handed down.
The incident that led to Scholtes’ charges took place over a year ago when his young daughter, Parker, was found lifeless in the driveway of their Marana home on a scorching July afternoon in 2024, with temperatures hitting 109 degrees. Scholtes initially stated that he had left the toddler in the car with the air conditioning on for 30 minutes while she took a nap. However, court documents later disclosed that the child had been left in the car for three hours.
Scholtes confessed that he knew the car’s air conditioning would automatically turn off after 30 minutes. During this period, he was inside the house, viewing adult content, playing video games, and drinking alcohol. His wife discovered their daughter upon her return home. She had previously cautioned Scholtes about the risks of leaving their children in the car.
Following their daughter’s death, his wife expressed her anger and sorrow in a series of text messages, stating that she had repeatedly warned him not to leave their children in the car. She referred to their 2-year-old as “perfect.” Scholtes’ older daughters, from a previous relationship, also informed investigators that he frequently left them in the car, often forgetting about them due to his video games.
Scholtes’ eldest daughter, who is about to turn 18 this month, filed a lawsuit against him last week for emotional distress. Scholtes had previously been offered a plea deal in the spring, which he declined.