A father from Arizona, who faced charges for the tragic death of his daughter, has been discovered deceased on the very day he was scheduled to begin his prison term.
Thirty-eight-year-old Christopher Scholtes was taken into custody on July 9, 2024, following the death of his 2-year-old daughter, Parker Scholtes. The toddler passed away after being left in a scorching vehicle outside their residence in Arizona, USA, by her father.
Chillingly, the father of three was reportedly engaged in video gaming, consuming beer, and viewing adult content while his daughter suffered in the hot car.
The temperature on that particular day was exceptionally high, reaching 109°F.
Scholtes initially claimed he had left Parker in the car for merely 30 to 45 minutes upon their return home, as she was sleeping and he ‘didn’t want to wake her’.
Nevertheless, police investigations revealed that the toddler had been in the vehicle for as long as three hours.
Parker was pronounced dead within an hour after her arrival at the Banner University Medical Center.
After his arrest, Erika, Scholtes’ wife, requested that he be allowed to return home so the family could mourn together.
However, reports indicate that Scholtes was found dead in a residence in Phoenix shortly after 5 A.M on November 5, coinciding with the day he was meant to report to prison prior to sentencing.
He had been facing a potential sentence of up to 30 years in prison.
Pima County Attorney Laura Conover released a statement once Scholtes’ death was confirmed.
She stated: “Instead of coming in to take account for what has occurred here, we have been informed, and we have confirmed, that the father took his own life last night.”
The New York Post reports that although Scholtes claimed during his arrest that he had never left his children in such situations before, text messages exchanged with his wife told a different story.
Following their daughter’s death, his wife texted him: “I told you to stop leaving them in the car. How many times have I told you?”
He replied: “Babe, I’m sorry. Babe, our family. How could I do this? I killed our baby, this can’t be real.”