MARANA, AZ – An Arizona father pleaded guilty to murder charges Tuesday after leaving his 2-year-old daughter to die in a sweltering vehicle while he spent hours playing video games and drinking stolen alcohol inside his home.
Christopher Scholtes, 38, entered guilty pleas to second-degree murder and intentional child abuse likely to cause death or serious physical injury on October 22, more than a year after his daughter Parker died in temperatures reaching 109 degrees outside their Marana home.
The tragic incident occurred on July 9, 2024, when Scholtes parked his vehicle outside the family residence with Parker inside. He claimed he left the air conditioning running and never intended to harm his daughter, but security footage contradicted his account.
Video evidence revealed Scholtes left Parker alone in the car for three hours, not the one hour he initially told investigators. During that time, court documents allege he stole alcohol, watched pornography, and played video games while his toddler suffered in the extreme heat.
Dr. Erika Scholtes, Christopher’s wife and Parker’s mother, discovered the unresponsive child around 4 p.m. She immediately performed CPR but was unable to save her daughter’s life.
Investigators uncovered disturbing additional evidence during their inquiry. Scholtes’ older children, ages 9 and 5, reported to authorities that their father frequently left them alone in vehicles, suggesting a pattern of dangerous behavior that preceded Parker’s death.
Scholtes initially rejected a March 2025 plea offer from prosecutors that would have resulted in a sentence of 10 to 25 years imprisonment. His decision to plead guilty in October means he now faces harsher consequences.
Under the current plea agreement, Scholtes faces up to 30 years in prison with consecutive sentences and no eligibility for parole. The extended sentence reflects the severity of the charges and the preventable nature of Parker’s death.
Pima County Superior Court Judge will determine Scholtes’ final sentence during a November 21 hearing. Prosecutors are expected to present victim impact statements from family members at that proceeding.
The case has drawn attention to the dangers of leaving children unattended in vehicles, particularly during Arizona’s brutal summer months when temperatures regularly exceed 100 degrees. Even brief periods in hot cars can prove fatal to young children whose bodies overheat more quickly than adults.
Parker’s death marks another tragic reminder of the deadly consequences of parental negligence involving vehicles and extreme weather conditions.
