A man who admitted to causing the death of his two-year-old daughter by leaving her in a hot car while watching adult content has died on the day he was supposed to go to jail.
Christopher Scholtes, 38, was found dead by Phoenix Police officers just before 6 a.m. on the day he was scheduled to be incarcerated before his sentencing hearing on November 21.
Laura Conover, the Pima County Attorney, revealed that Scholtes had taken his own life instead of facing the consequences of his actions. She described the incident as complex and extended sympathies to Scholtes’ family and his two surviving daughters, who have now lost both a sister and a father within two years.
Scholtes had previously agreed to plead guilty to second-degree murder for the death of his daughter, Parker, in July 2024. Prosecutors alleged that he neglected the child while indulging in beer, video games, and adult content on a scorching summer day.
Initially facing a potential prison term of 20 to 30 years, Scholtes was out on bail until the day he was expected to be taken into custody. Prosecutors left the court visibly shaken after learning of his death.
Scholtes and his wife had recently moved to a new residence in Phoenix following the tragic incident in Marana, where Parker died. In court, his wife defended him, calling their daughter’s death a mistake. Scholtes admitted to leaving the child in the car with the air conditioning on, leading to her unconscious state when his wife found her.
Despite initially pleading not guilty and rejecting a plea deal, Scholtes eventually accepted a harsher deal, agreeing to 20 to 30 years for second-degree murder and child abuse charges.
In a separate development, Scholtes was sued by his eldest daughter and wife for emotional distress, assault, battery, and fraud. Text messages revealed his habit of leaving the children unattended in cars for extended periods.
Records also indicated previous instances where Scholtes left his daughters unattended in cars, with reports of him being distracted while playing games or handling food.
