Topline: The Arizona dad who pleaded guilty to murder and child abuse for leaving his daughter in a hot car took his own life.
Published: November 7, 2025 4:03 pm ET
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Christopher Scholtes in court (via News 4 Tucson KVOA-TV/YouTube)
PHOENIX, AZ — Christopher Scholtes, the Arizona father who pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in his daughter’s hot car death, was found dead in Phoenix on the day he was to begin his prison sentence.
Authorities confirmed Scholtes, 38, was dead after he did not show up for his scheduled appearance at the Pima County Superior Court. His body was found at 5:22 a.m. on November 5 in central Phoenix, about 100 miles from the Scholtes family home. Pima County Attorney Laura Conover said the death was a suicide, according to 12News.com.
Scholtes had been out of custody until November 5, when he was required to appear in court as part of his plea agreement. He was to be taken into custody before the scheduled November 21 sentencing date. Proceedings in court were paused that morning after the unexpected news reached the attorneys, AZat.tv reported.
The Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s office confirmed Scholtes’ passing. Phoenix Police Department records indicate the death is being investigated as a suicide. A full report on the cause and manner of death is expected to be available within 90 days.
Scholtes was facing 20 to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of second-degree murder and one count of intentional or knowing child abuse. The charges stemmed from the July 2024 death of his two-year-old daughter, Parker Scholtes, KJZZ reported.
The tragic incident occurred in Marana, Arizona, a town near Tucson in Pima County. On July 9, 2024, Scholtes left his toddler daughter in the back seat of his vehicle outside the family home. The outside temperature that day reached 109 degrees, according to data cited by investigators.
Scholtes initially told Marana police he had left the car running with the air conditioner on so the child could continue sleeping in her car seat. He claimed the engine later shut off. However, surveillance footage obtained during the investigation contradicted his account.
Police body-camera footage showed a distraught Scholtes pacing when officers arrived on the scene. He was later quoted repeating that the situation was his “worst nightmare,” AZat.tv reported.
Investigators determined that the child remained in the car for approximately three hours while the vehicle sat in the sweltering heat. The toddler was unresponsive when she was found. First responders reported Parker Scholtes’ body temperature was 108.9 degrees. She was pronounced dead, according to KJZZ.
Erika Scholtes, his wife and a physician, was the one who returned home and discovered the death. The case quickly gained attention across Arizona and nationwide, raising concerns about child supervision and the dangers of hot vehicles.
Legal documents and interviews with the older children detailed a troubling pattern of neglect leading up to the tragedy. Scholtes’ five-year-old and nine-year-old children described previous instances where their father had left all three children unattended in the vehicle, according to 12News.com.
The father’s repeated actions were allegedly driven by distraction. Court records revealed Scholtes told authorities that he “got distracted by playing his game,” referring to a video game. Other reports from investigators indicated Scholtes was drinking alcohol and looking at pornography while the child was left alone in the car.
The Pima County Attorney’s Office released a statement upon Scholtes’ October 2025 guilty plea, asserting its commitment to seeking justice for victims, particularly those who are vulnerable. The office indicated the plea agreement had secured a sentence that would hold Scholtes accountable for his actions.
News of Scholtes’ death elicited strong reactions from members of the victim’s extended family. Kelli Fiolle, the aunt of Scholtes’ oldest daughter from a previous relationship, spoke out following the confirmation of his death.
“This world is a better place without Christopher Scholtes,” Fiolle said in an interview with 12News.com. “He abused my niece for years… this is justice.”
Fiolle said she was relieved that the legal proceedings were finished. She added that the death was not unexpected among family members who knew him.
“We knew he was not going to go to prison,” Fiolle stated.
A lawsuit had been filed against Scholtes and his wife by this oldest daughter, separate from the hot car death case. The civil action alleged that the couple caused her emotional distress due to their prior actions. This pending lawsuit added a further legal complication to the family’s situation.
Scholtes relocated from Pima County to Maricopa County after the incident and while facing the charges. His failure to appear in the Pima County Superior Court for the custody hearing led to the subsequent confirmation of his death in Phoenix.
This heartbreaking case highlights the extreme danger hot cars pose to children, especially in high-heat areas like Arizona.
Arizona has recorded 46 child deaths in hot cars since 1998, according to data compiled by the Department of Meteorology and Climate Science at San Jose State University, KJZZ reported. The state’s rate of child hot car fatalities per capita is the fifth-highest in the nation.
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.
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, help is available. In the U.S., call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7, or use online chat services. If you are outside the U.S., local resources are available through international crisis hotlines.
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Christopher Scholtes Dead: Convicted Hot Car Killer Failed to Appear for Custody
The Arizona dad who pleaded guilty to murder and child abuse for leaving his daughter in a hot car took his own life.
By Kate Byrd
Published: November 7, 2025 4:03 pm ET
Christopher Scholtes in court (via News 4 Tucson KVOA-TV/YouTube)
PHOENIX, AZ — Christopher Scholtes, the Arizona father who pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in his daughter’s hot car death, was found dead in Phoenix on the day he was to begin his prison sentence.
Authorities confirmed Scholtes, 38, was dead after he did not show up for his scheduled appearance at the Pima County Superior Court. His body was found at 5:22 a.m. on November 5 in central Phoenix, about 100 miles from the Scholtes family home. Pima County Attorney Laura Conover said the death was a suicide, according to 12News.com.
Scholtes had been out of custody until November 5, when he was required to appear in court as part of his plea agreement. He was to be taken into custody before the scheduled November 21 sentencing date. Proceedings in court were paused that morning after the unexpected news reached the attorneys, AZat.tv reported.
The Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s office confirmed Scholtes’ passing. Phoenix Police Department records indicate the death is being investigated as a suicide. A full report on the cause and manner of death is expected to be available within 90 days.
Scholtes was facing 20 to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of second-degree murder and one count of intentional or knowing child abuse. The charges stemmed from the July 2024 death of his two-year-old daughter, Parker Scholtes, KJZZ reported.
The tragic incident occurred in Marana, Arizona, a town near Tucson in Pima County. On July 9, 2024, Scholtes left his toddler daughter in the back seat of his vehicle outside the family home. The outside temperature that day reached 109 degrees, according to data cited by investigators.
Scholtes initially told Marana police he had left the car running with the air conditioner on so the child could continue sleeping in her car seat. He claimed the engine later shut off. However, surveillance footage obtained during the investigation contradicted his account.
Police body-camera footage showed a distraught Scholtes pacing when officers arrived on the scene. He was later quoted repeating that the situation was his “worst nightmare,” AZat.tv reported.
Investigators determined that the child remained in the car for approximately three hours while the vehicle sat in the sweltering heat. The toddler was unresponsive when she was found. First responders reported Parker Scholtes’ body temperature was 108.9 degrees. She was pronounced dead, according to KJZZ.
Erika Scholtes, his wife and a physician, was the one who returned home and discovered the death. The case quickly gained attention across Arizona and nationwide, raising concerns about child supervision and the dangers of hot vehicles.
Legal documents and interviews with the older children detailed a troubling pattern of neglect leading up to the tragedy. Scholtes’ five-year-old and nine-year-old children described previous instances where their father had left all three children unattended in the vehicle, according to 12News.com.
The father’s repeated actions were allegedly driven by distraction. Court records revealed Scholtes told authorities that he “got distracted by playing his game,” referring to a video game. Other reports from investigators indicated Scholtes was drinking alcohol and looking at pornography while the child was left alone in the car.
The Pima County Attorney’s Office released a statement upon Scholtes’ October 2025 guilty plea, asserting its commitment to seeking justice for victims, particularly those who are vulnerable. The office indicated the plea agreement had secured a sentence that would hold Scholtes accountable for his actions.
News of Scholtes’ death elicited strong reactions from members of the victim’s extended family. Kelli Fiolle, the aunt of Scholtes’ oldest daughter from a previous relationship, spoke out following the confirmation of his death.
“This world is a better place without Christopher Scholtes,” Fiolle said in an interview with 12News.com. “He abused my niece for years… this is justice.”
Fiolle said she was relieved that the legal proceedings were finished. She added that the death was not unexpected among family members who knew him.
“We knew he was not going to go to prison,” Fiolle stated.
A lawsuit had been filed against Scholtes and his wife by this oldest daughter, separate from the hot car death case. The civil action alleged that the couple caused her emotional distress due to their prior actions. This pending lawsuit added a further legal complication to the family’s situation.
Scholtes relocated from Pima County to Maricopa County after the incident and while facing the charges. His failure to appear in the Pima County Superior Court for the custody hearing led to the subsequent confirmation of his death in Phoenix.
This heartbreaking case highlights the extreme danger hot cars pose to children, especially in high-heat areas like Arizona.
Arizona has recorded 46 child deaths in hot cars since 1998, according to data compiled by the Department of Meteorology and Climate Science at San Jose State University, KJZZ reported. The state’s rate of child hot car fatalities per capita is the fifth-highest in the nation.
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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Christopher Scholtes Dead: Convicted Hot Car Killer Failed to Appear for Custody
The Arizona dad who pleaded guilty to murder and child abuse for leaving his daughter in a hot car took his own life.
By Kate Byrd
Published: November 7, 2025 4:03 pm ET
Christopher Scholtes in court (via News 4 Tucson KVOA-TV/YouTube)
PHOENIX, AZ — Christopher Scholtes, the Arizona father who pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in his daughter’s hot car death, was found dead in Phoenix on the day he was to begin his prison sentence.
Authorities confirmed Scholtes, 38, was dead after he did not show up for his scheduled appearance at the Pima County Superior Court. His body was found at 5:22 a.m. on November 5 in central Phoenix, about 100 miles from the Scholtes family home. Pima County Attorney Laura Conover said the death was a suicide, according to 12News.com.
Scholtes had been out of custody until November 5, when he was required to appear in court as part of his plea agreement. He was to be taken into custody before the scheduled November 21 sentencing date. Proceedings in court were paused that morning after the unexpected news reached the attorneys, AZat.tv reported.
The Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s office confirmed Scholtes’ passing. Phoenix Police Department records indicate the death is being investigated as a suicide. A full report on the cause and manner of death is expected to be available within 90 days.
Scholtes was facing 20 to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of second-degree murder and one count of intentional or knowing child abuse. The charges stemmed from the July 2024 death of his two-year-old daughter, Parker Scholtes, KJZZ reported.
The tragic incident occurred in Marana, Arizona, a town near Tucson in Pima County. On July 9, 2024, Scholtes left his toddler daughter in the back seat of his vehicle outside the family home. The outside temperature that day reached 109 degrees, according to data cited by investigators.
Scholtes initially told Marana police he had left the car running with the air conditioner on so the child could continue sleeping in her car seat. He claimed the engine later shut off. However, surveillance footage obtained during the investigation contradicted his account.
Police body-camera footage showed a distraught Scholtes pacing when officers arrived on the scene. He was later quoted repeating that the situation was his “worst nightmare,” AZat.tv reported.
Investigators determined that the child remained in the car for approximately three hours while the vehicle sat in the sweltering heat. The toddler was unresponsive when she was found. First responders reported Parker Scholtes’ body temperature was 108.9 degrees. She was pronounced dead, according to KJZZ.
Erika Scholtes, his wife and a physician, was the one who returned home and discovered the death. The case quickly gained attention across Arizona and nationwide, raising concerns about child supervision and the dangers of hot vehicles.
Legal documents and interviews with the older children detailed a troubling pattern of neglect leading up to the tragedy. Scholtes’ five-year-old and nine-year-old children described previous instances where their father had left all three children unattended in the vehicle, according to 12News.com.
The father’s repeated actions were allegedly driven by distraction. Court records revealed Scholtes told authorities that he “got distracted by playing his game,” referring to a video game. Other reports from investigators indicated Scholtes was drinking alcohol and looking at pornography while the child was left alone in the car.
The Pima County Attorney’s Office released a statement upon Scholtes’ October 2025 guilty plea, asserting its commitment to seeking justice for victims, particularly those who are vulnerable. The office indicated the plea agreement had secured a sentence that would hold Scholtes accountable for his actions.
News of Scholtes’ death elicited strong reactions from members of the victim’s extended family. Kelli Fiolle, the aunt of Scholtes’ oldest daughter from a previous relationship, spoke out following the confirmation of his death.
“This world is a better place without Christopher Scholtes,” Fiolle said in an interview with 12News.com. “He abused my niece for years… this is justice.”
Fiolle said she was relieved that the legal proceedings were finished. She added that the death was not unexpected among family members who knew him.
“We knew he was not going to go to prison,” Fiolle stated.
A lawsuit had been filed against Scholtes and his wife by this oldest daughter, separate from the hot car death case. The civil action alleged that the couple caused her emotional distress due to their prior actions. This pending lawsuit added a further legal complication to the family’s situation.
Scholtes relocated from Pima County to Maricopa County after the incident and while facing the charges. His failure to appear in the Pima County Superior Court for the custody hearing led to the subsequent confirmation of his death in Phoenix.
This heartbreaking case highlights the extreme danger hot cars pose to children, especially in high-heat areas like Arizona.
Arizona has recorded 46 child deaths in hot cars since 1998, according to data compiled by the Department of Meteorology and Climate Science at San Jose State University, KJZZ reported. The state’s rate of child hot car fatalities per capita is the fifth-highest in the nation.
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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