A tragic incident unfolded as a father, who had previously admitted to the death of his two-year-old daughter after leaving her in a hot car while engrossed in adult entertainment, was found deceased on the day he was scheduled to be incarcerated. Christopher Scholtes, aged 38, was discovered by Phoenix Police Department officials around 6 am on November 5, the same day he was to be processed for jail before his sentencing on November 21.
Pima County Attorney Laura Conover, speaking at a press briefing, revealed that Scholtes had agreed to a plea deal for second-degree murder, carrying a potential 30-year prison term. However, instead of appearing in court, it was confirmed that he had taken his own life the previous night, leading to a complex turn of events. Conover extended sympathies to Scholtes’ family and addressed his two remaining daughters, who have now endured the loss of a sister and father within a short time frame.
The father had previously struck a deal with prosecutors in October, confessing to the second-degree murder of his daughter, Parker, in July 2024. Prosecutors alleged that Scholtes neglected his daughter as he indulged in beer, video games, and adult content, resulting in Parker’s tragic death due to heat exposure in a sweltering car last summer.
Expected to serve 20 to 30 years in prison, Scholtes had been out on bail until the day he was to be taken into custody. The emotional aftermath of the hearing left prosecutors visibly shaken as they left the court in Pima County.
Scholtes and his wife, Erika, who works as an anesthesiologist, had recently moved to a new residence in Phoenix, away from where the unfortunate incident occurred. Erika defended her husband in court, attributing their daughter’s death to a mistake. Scholtes admitted to authorities that he left his daughter in the car with the air conditioning on for 30 minutes after she fell asleep while returning from shopping.
The father, initially pleading not guilty, eventually accepted a harsher plea deal of 20 to 30 years for second-degree murder and child abuse charges. In a recent development, he was sued by his eldest daughter and wife for emotional distress, assault, battery, and fraud. Text messages between the couple indicated a pattern of leaving children in the car for extended periods, raising concerns about his behavior.
Reports revealed that two of his daughters informed the police about previous instances of being left in cars and their father getting distracted while handling tasks, such as playing games or storing food.