Topline: Christopher Scholtes admitted guilt in the death of his child from heat exposure in a parked car, after investigators found a pattern of neglect and substance abuse.
Published: October 27, 2025 1:16 pm ET
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Left: Christopher Scholtes mugshot, Right: Parker Scholtes (via Pima County Sheriff’s Department)
PIMA COUNTY, AZ — A 38-year-old Arizona father pleaded guilty to murder and child abuse charges for leaving his two-year-old daughter to die in a hot car outside their home while he was inside playing video games.
Christopher Scholtes reached a deal with the Pima County Attorney’s Office on October 23, admitting guilt to one count of second-degree murder and one count of intentional or knowing child abuse under circumstances likely to cause death or serious physical injury, authorities announced.
The plea agreement stipulates that the sentences imposed by Judge Kimberly Ortiz will run consecutively, meaning Scholtes faces a sentencing range of 20 to 30 years in state prison. The time must be served flat, making him ineligible for early release, according to prosecutors.
The charges stem from the July 9, 2024, death of his daughter, Parker Scholtes. On that day, the temperature in the area reached a high of 109 degrees.
Scholtes left Parker sleeping inside the family’s 2023 Acura MDX for several hours, authorities said. He reportedly became distracted by playing video games on his PlayStation, porn, and the task of putting away food.
According to a report from the Arizona Daily Star, Scholtes initially claimed he left the girl in the vehicle with the air conditioning running because he did not want to wake her. Surveillance footage, however, did not support his account.
Text messages later revealed that Scholtes’ wife, Erika Scholtes, had repeatedly told him to stop leaving their children in the car unattended, according to court documents. Furthermore, authorities alleged that Scholtes regularly left his children alone in the vehicle.
While on the way home from a doctor’s office with Parker, Scholtes stopped at two convenience stores, per the Arizona Daily Star report. He entered both stores alone and shoplifted cans of beer from each location, drinking some of the beer in a restroom at one of the stops. Investigators said the father arrived home just before 1 p.m.
After arriving home, Scholtes prepared lunch for his older daughters and messaged his wife about a Christmas vacation, according to the report. Investigators found he then “surfed the internet for men’s clothing at Nordstrom and for pornography from 2:02 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.,” the report stated.
The child’s mother, Erika Scholtes, a physician at a nearby hospital, returned home around 4 p.m. Police said she found the vehicle was no longer running and the air conditioning was off.
Parker was rushed to a hospital by paramedics, where she was pronounced dead at about 5 p.m. that day.
Text messages between the parents in the moments after the discovery showed the mother’s distress and anger.
“I told you to stop leaving them in the car, how many times have I told you,” the mother texted her husband as she drove the girl to the hospital. She added, “We’ve lost her. She was perfect.”
Text messages between the couple in the weeks leading up to Parker’s death established a pattern of alleged neglect by Scholtes. Just over a week before the girl’s death, Erika Scholtes texted her husband about a dangerous driving incident.
The mother accused Scholtes of driving 138 mph with their baby in the car and “alcohol in [his] system,” the Arizona Daily Star reported.
Earlier in 2024, on March 11, Erika Scholtes messaged her husband about his alleged drinking and driving with the children in the vehicle and his overall substance abuse.
“You haven’t shown me you can stop putting the girls in danger or not treat me badly,” she wrote in the text message. “Even yesterday, you drove home drunk with two minors. You drink to excess every time. You can never have just one. I’ve been asking for three years to cut back and it’s actually gotten worse.”
When his wife accused him of replacing cocaine with alcohol, Scholtes reportedly responded, “at least this one is legal, right?” He then admitted to being “a piece of s— addict.”
During his bond hearing, Erika Scholtes spoke glowingly on her husband’s behalf, stating their daughter’s death was a mistake and did not “represent him,” according to video obtained by KVOA.
Scholtes rejected an earlier plea deal that would have required him to plead guilty to one count of second-degree murder and face a sentence between 10 and 25 years in prison, as reported by Law&Crime. The new plea deal will have him serving 20 to 30 years with no possibility of parole.
According to the Pima County District Attorney’s Office, Scholtes will be sentenced on November 21.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
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Arizona Dad Pleads Guilty in Hot Car Death of 2-Year-Old Daughter
Christopher Scholtes admitted guilt in the death of his child from heat exposure in a parked car, after investigators found a pattern of neglect and substance abuse.
By Kate Byrd
Published: October 27, 2025 1:16 pm ET
Left: Christopher Scholtes mugshot, Right: Parker Scholtes (via Pima County Sheriff’s Department)
PIMA COUNTY, AZ — A 38-year-old Arizona father pleaded guilty to murder and child abuse charges for leaving his two-year-old daughter to die in a hot car outside their home while he was inside playing video games.
Christopher Scholtes reached a deal with the Pima County Attorney’s Office on October 23, admitting guilt to one count of second-degree murder and one count of intentional or knowing child abuse under circumstances likely to cause death or serious physical injury, authorities announced.
The plea agreement stipulates that the sentences imposed by Judge Kimberly Ortiz will run consecutively, meaning Scholtes faces a sentencing range of 20 to 30 years in state prison. The time must be served flat, making him ineligible for early release, according to prosecutors.
The charges stem from the July 9, 2024, death of his daughter, Parker Scholtes. On that day, the temperature in the area reached a high of 109 degrees.
Scholtes left Parker sleeping inside the family’s 2023 Acura MDX for several hours, authorities said. He reportedly became distracted by playing video games on his PlayStation, porn, and the task of putting away food.
According to a report from the Arizona Daily Star, Scholtes initially claimed he left the girl in the vehicle with the air conditioning running because he did not want to wake her. Surveillance footage, however, did not support his account.
Text messages later revealed that Scholtes’ wife, Erika Scholtes, had repeatedly told him to stop leaving their children in the car unattended, according to court documents. Furthermore, authorities alleged that Scholtes regularly left his children alone in the vehicle.
While on the way home from a doctor’s office with Parker, Scholtes stopped at two convenience stores, per the Arizona Daily Star report. He entered both stores alone and shoplifted cans of beer from each location, drinking some of the beer in a restroom at one of the stops. Investigators said the father arrived home just before 1 p.m.
After arriving home, Scholtes prepared lunch for his older daughters and messaged his wife about a Christmas vacation, according to the report. Investigators found he then “surfed the internet for men’s clothing at Nordstrom and for pornography from 2:02 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.,” the report stated.
The child’s mother, Erika Scholtes, a physician at a nearby hospital, returned home around 4 p.m. Police said she found the vehicle was no longer running and the air conditioning was off.
Parker was rushed to a hospital by paramedics, where she was pronounced dead at about 5 p.m. that day.
Text messages between the parents in the moments after the discovery showed the mother’s distress and anger.
“I told you to stop leaving them in the car, how many times have I told you,” the mother texted her husband as she drove the girl to the hospital. She added, “We’ve lost her. She was perfect.”
Text messages between the couple in the weeks leading up to Parker’s death established a pattern of alleged neglect by Scholtes. Just over a week before the girl’s death, Erika Scholtes texted her husband about a dangerous driving incident.
The mother accused Scholtes of driving 138 mph with their baby in the car and “alcohol in [his] system,” the Arizona Daily Star reported.
Earlier in 2024, on March 11, Erika Scholtes messaged her husband about his alleged drinking and driving with the children in the vehicle and his overall substance abuse.
“You haven’t shown me you can stop putting the girls in danger or not treat me badly,” she wrote in the text message. “Even yesterday, you drove home drunk with two minors. You drink to excess every time. You can never have just one. I’ve been asking for three years to cut back and it’s actually gotten worse.”
When his wife accused him of replacing cocaine with alcohol, Scholtes reportedly responded, “at least this one is legal, right?” He then admitted to being “a piece of s— addict.”
During his bond hearing, Erika Scholtes spoke glowingly on her husband’s behalf, stating their daughter’s death was a mistake and did not “represent him,” according to video obtained by KVOA.
Scholtes rejected an earlier plea deal that would have required him to plead guilty to one count of second-degree murder and face a sentence between 10 and 25 years in prison, as reported by Law&Crime. The new plea deal will have him serving 20 to 30 years with no possibility of parole.
According to the Pima County District Attorney’s Office, Scholtes will be sentenced on November 21.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Arizona Dad Pleads Guilty in Hot Car Death of 2-Year-Old Daughter
Christopher Scholtes admitted guilt in the death of his child from heat exposure in a parked car, after investigators found a pattern of neglect and substance abuse.
By Kate Byrd
Published: October 27, 2025 1:16 pm ET
Left: Christopher Scholtes mugshot, Right: Parker Scholtes (via Pima County Sheriff’s Department)
PIMA COUNTY, AZ — A 38-year-old Arizona father pleaded guilty to murder and child abuse charges for leaving his two-year-old daughter to die in a hot car outside their home while he was inside playing video games.
Christopher Scholtes reached a deal with the Pima County Attorney’s Office on October 23, admitting guilt to one count of second-degree murder and one count of intentional or knowing child abuse under circumstances likely to cause death or serious physical injury, authorities announced.
The plea agreement stipulates that the sentences imposed by Judge Kimberly Ortiz will run consecutively, meaning Scholtes faces a sentencing range of 20 to 30 years in state prison. The time must be served flat, making him ineligible for early release, according to prosecutors.
The charges stem from the July 9, 2024, death of his daughter, Parker Scholtes. On that day, the temperature in the area reached a high of 109 degrees.
Scholtes left Parker sleeping inside the family’s 2023 Acura MDX for several hours, authorities said. He reportedly became distracted by playing video games on his PlayStation, porn, and the task of putting away food.
According to a report from the Arizona Daily Star, Scholtes initially claimed he left the girl in the vehicle with the air conditioning running because he did not want to wake her. Surveillance footage, however, did not support his account.
Text messages later revealed that Scholtes’ wife, Erika Scholtes, had repeatedly told him to stop leaving their children in the car unattended, according to court documents. Furthermore, authorities alleged that Scholtes regularly left his children alone in the vehicle.
While on the way home from a doctor’s office with Parker, Scholtes stopped at two convenience stores, per the Arizona Daily Star report. He entered both stores alone and shoplifted cans of beer from each location, drinking some of the beer in a restroom at one of the stops. Investigators said the father arrived home just before 1 p.m.
After arriving home, Scholtes prepared lunch for his older daughters and messaged his wife about a Christmas vacation, according to the report. Investigators found he then “surfed the internet for men’s clothing at Nordstrom and for pornography from 2:02 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.,” the report stated.
The child’s mother, Erika Scholtes, a physician at a nearby hospital, returned home around 4 p.m. Police said she found the vehicle was no longer running and the air conditioning was off.
Parker was rushed to a hospital by paramedics, where she was pronounced dead at about 5 p.m. that day.
Text messages between the parents in the moments after the discovery showed the mother’s distress and anger.
“I told you to stop leaving them in the car, how many times have I told you,” the mother texted her husband as she drove the girl to the hospital. She added, “We’ve lost her. She was perfect.”
Text messages between the couple in the weeks leading up to Parker’s death established a pattern of alleged neglect by Scholtes. Just over a week before the girl’s death, Erika Scholtes texted her husband about a dangerous driving incident.
The mother accused Scholtes of driving 138 mph with their baby in the car and “alcohol in [his] system,” the Arizona Daily Star reported.
Earlier in 2024, on March 11, Erika Scholtes messaged her husband about his alleged drinking and driving with the children in the vehicle and his overall substance abuse.
“You haven’t shown me you can stop putting the girls in danger or not treat me badly,” she wrote in the text message. “Even yesterday, you drove home drunk with two minors. You drink to excess every time. You can never have just one. I’ve been asking for three years to cut back and it’s actually gotten worse.”
When his wife accused him of replacing cocaine with alcohol, Scholtes reportedly responded, “at least this one is legal, right?” He then admitted to being “a piece of s— addict.”
During his bond hearing, Erika Scholtes spoke glowingly on her husband’s behalf, stating their daughter’s death was a mistake and did not “represent him,” according to video obtained by KVOA.
Scholtes rejected an earlier plea deal that would have required him to plead guilty to one count of second-degree murder and face a sentence between 10 and 25 years in prison, as reported by Law&Crime. The new plea deal will have him serving 20 to 30 years with no possibility of parole.
According to the Pima County District Attorney’s Office, Scholtes will be sentenced on November 21.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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