A legal case surrounding the death of a two-year-old girl in Arizona has ended in a second tragedy with the death of her father. Christopher Scholtes, 38, was found dead on November 4, the day before he was scheduled to be taken into custody for sentencing in the death of his daughter, Parker. The Pima County Attorney’s Office confirmed his death appears to be a suicide.
The incident began on July 9, 2024, when Parker Scholtes was left unattended in a family car for hours as temperatures outside soared to 109°F. The toddler was found unresponsive by her mother, Erika Scholtes, and died within an hour of being rushed to a hospital. Christopher Scholtes initially told police he had only left Parker in the car for 30 minutes with the air conditioning running, but evidence, including neighbor surveillance footage, indicated she had been in the vehicle for over three hours.
Scholtes was initially charged with first-degree murder after a grand jury review. However, in a plea agreement last month, he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and intentional child abuse, facing a potential prison sentence of 20 to 30 years. In a heartbreaking twist, Pima County Attorney Laura Conover announced that instead of appearing in court for his sentencing, authorities learned he had taken his own life.
The case was fraught with disturbing details. Prosecutors alleged that on the day of Parker’s death, Scholtes had shoplifted beer and was drinking and playing video games inside the home while his daughter was in the car. Despite these allegations, his wife, Erika, an anesthesiologist, had stood by him, previously appealing to a judge for his release so the family could grieve together.
