Warning: This article contains discussion of suicide which some readers may find distressing.
A father who faced charges of ‘leaving his daughter to die in a hot car’ has reportedly died by suicide just before his sentencing was scheduled.
Earlier this year, police in Arizona detained Christopher Scholtes on suspicion of second-degree murder linked to the tragic death of his two-year-old daughter, Parker Scholtes.
It’s believed that the toddler was left alone for extended hours in a car parked on the family’s driveway in Marana, with temperatures soaring to triple digits on July 9.
Parker sadly succumbed within an hour of being taken to Banner University Medical Center.
Authorities have now confirmed that the 38-year-old appears to have taken his own life on Tuesday (November 4), just a day before he was to be placed in custody pending his official sentencing scheduled for later this month.
On that tragic day in July last year, Christopher’s wife, Erika Scholtes, arrived home at 4.08 pm and discovered her daughter unresponsive inside the car.
The father-of-three told police that he left Parker in the car after they arrived home from shopping, claiming he ‘didn’t want to wake her’.
He further alleged that he believed the air conditioning was still running and thought he left her for only 30 minutes.
However, evidence indicated the child was left inside the car for several hours in direct sunlight, possibly as long as three hours.
Erika also reportedly found that the vehicle’s air conditioning had automatically shut off while outside temperatures hit 109°F.
Bodycam footage captured the moment of his arrest, showing the grieving father collapsing to his knees, repeatedly uttering ‘no.’
Overcome with emotion, he asked officers: “Am I going to be there for my baby’s funeral?”
While Parker was being transported to the hospital, Erika allegedly texted her husband: “I told you to stop leaving them in the car, how many times have I told you.”
Court documents obtained by USA Today revealed Christopher allegedly told investigators he routinely left all three of his daughters alone in the car.
Upon Parker’s death, Erika reportedly sent another message that said: “We’ve lost her, she was perfect.”
Christopher is believed to have responded: “Babe I’m sorry! How could I do this.
“I killed our baby, this can’t be real.”
On July 6, CCTV footage acquired by the Arizona Daily Star appeared to show Christopher shoplifting beer from a local convenience store and a grocery store.
He allegedly drank several beers in a bathroom while Parker remained in the car.
One of his older daughters reportedly informed an officer that her father ‘still drinks too much beer,’ and added: “He keeps leaving us in the car when my mom told him to stop doing this.
“That’s how he made my baby sister die.”
Prosecutors also alleged Christopher went inside to play video games and briefly searched for pornography, though a judge barred these claims if the case proceeded to trial.
While he told officers he returned home at 2.30 pm, additional footage from neighbors’ cameras showed his car arriving at 12.53 pm, indicating Parker was left in the car for more than three hours.
Following Parker’s tragic death, Christopher was apprehended on suspicion of causing her death.
Initially, he was charged with second-degree murder and child abuse, but the charges were later upgraded to first-degree murder, to which he pleaded not guilty on August 8.
The grand jury increased the charges upon determining Christopher ‘under circumstances likely to produce death or serious physical injury, committed child abuse by intentionally or knowingly, causing a minor under 15 to suffer physical injury’ by leaving her ‘unattended in the vehicle.’
However, as part of a plea deal with prosecutors, Scholtes pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and intentional child abuse on October 22, as confirmed by the county attorney’s office.
He faced a potential prison sentence ranging from 20 to 30 years as a consequence.
During his arrest, Erika, who is employed at the hospital where Parker died, was seen on camera expressing her love for him and promising to ‘take care of everything’ before giving him a kiss.
The anesthesiologist remained supportive of her husband, telling the judge that he had made a ‘big mistake’ while appealing for his release.
“I’m just asking if you can allow him to come home to us so that we can all start the grieving process so he can bury our daughter with us … and that we can go through this whole process together as a family,” she pleaded.
Pima County Attorney Laura Conover stated in a video that as they prepared to take Christopher into custody on Wednesday, they were informed he had died by suicide.
She said: “We expected to be in court this morning because the father had accepted a plea agreement to second-degree murder which could have carried as much as 30 years in prison.
“But 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.”
Conover added: “This is obviously extraordinarily complicated and we extend our deepest sympathies and sorrow to all the loved ones who have suffered the loss of this beautiful baby girl and now another loss to his family.”
Previously, in May, he was allowed to go to Hawaii for a family vacation, despite objections from prosecutors.
The attorney continued: “This little girl’s voice was nearly silenced because justice was not served appropriately this morning, but it has not and will not be silenced due to the hard work of the people who work here at the Pima County Attorney’s Office.”
Conover also addressed Parker’s two surviving sisters, saying: “May you be surrounded by love. May you receive all the support you deserve and need and then some. May you know and believe that you can survive and thrive.”
She concluded: “And when you look back on this time as the years follow, may you not feel tied down by what happened here, but rather uplifted by your baby sister’s wings from above.”