Arizona
Dad Dead by Suicide Before Prison …
For Daughter’s Hot Car Death
Published November 5, 2025 2:29 PM PST
An Arizona man who pled guilty to the murder of his 2-year-old daughter last year has died on the day he was set to turn himself in to authorities ahead of sentencing.
Christopher Scholtes‘ death is being investigated by the Maricopa County Medical as a suicide, according to KOLD-TV. Further details about his death were not released.
Scholtes left his toddler daughter, Parker, asleep in his car in July last year and went into his house in Marana, a suburb of Tucson. He reportedly played video games and watched porn inside, according to the Arizona Daily Star.
The temperature that day reached 109 degrees … paramedics responded and took her to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead … her body temperature had reportedly reached 108.9 degrees.
Scholtes pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and child abuse two weeks ago in a plea deal that would have him serve no more than 30 years for both counts. He was set to surrender to authorities today ahead of his sentencing on November 21.
Another of his daughters, who will turn 18 this month, sued him for emotional distress last month, according to Tucson’s KVOA-TV.
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