The Arizona father who pleaded guilty to murdering his two-year-old daughter has been found dead on the day he was supposed to report to prison.
Christopher Scholtes, 38, last month admitted murder and child abuse after his youngest daughter, Parker Scholtes, died when she was left for as long as three hours in a hot car on the family’s driveway.
Shocking findings from the investigation revealed that Scholtes had been inside the home at the time, playing video games and allegedly searching for pornography. Temperatures that day, July 9, 2024, soared to 109°F.
The dad told the authorities he had only left Parker in the car for half an hour to 45 minutes after they arrived home, claiming that she was sleeping and he “didn’t want to wake her”.
The police investigation, however, found that the two-year-old had been left for as long as three hours. It was Scholtes’ wife (and Parker’s mother), Erika, who discovered Parker when she arrived home.
The infant was rushed to Banner University Medical Center, where she was tragically pronounced dead less than an hour later. A text allegedly sent to Scholtes by his wife as their daughter was being rushed to the hospital read: “I told you to stop leaving them in the car, How many times have I told you?”
Days before Scholtes’ trial was meant to begin last month he pleaded guilty to murder. Had he gone to trial, the 38-year-old faced the possibility of life in prison or even the death penalty.
After his guilty plea, Pima County Attorney’s Office said Scholtes would be facing between 20 and 30 years in prison under the terms of the deal.
According to breaking reports, Scholtes was found dead yesterday, November 5, with Sgt. Brian Bower of the Phoenix Police Department telling PEOPLE that officers discovered his body after responding to a call at 5:22 a.m..
Scholtes died the same day he was to turn himself in following a court hearing, after which he would have remained in custody until his sentencing on Nov 21.
Pima County Attorney Laura Conover issued a statement after it was confirmed that he had died.
“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 said.
“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.”
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