Arizona Dad Who Got ‘Distracted’ by PlayStation While 2-Year-Old Died in 109-Degree Car Pleads Guilty to Murder
TUCSON, ARIZONA — An Arizona father admitted to leaving his 2-year-old daughter to die in a 109-degree parked car while he played video games and browsed the internet, in a case prosecutors described as one of “unimaginable neglect.”
38-year-old Christopher Scholtes pleaded guilty this week to second-degree murder and intentional child abuse in connection with the July 2024 death of his daughter, Parker Scholtes, according to the Pima County Attorney’s Office.
Prosecutors said Scholtes “got distracted” by his PlayStation and online searches after leaving his sleeping toddler in the family’s SUV for hours during extreme desert heat.
Father Admits to Leaving Toddler in 109-Degree Vehicle
Authorities said Scholtes returned home around 12:53 p.m. on July 9, 2024, with his daughter after visiting a doctor’s office. Rather than waking her, he left Parker inside the family’s 2023 Acura MDX with the air conditioning supposedly running.
But investigators later determined the vehicle’s engine and air conditioning were turned off, and surveillance footage contradicted his timeline. The temperature outside that day hit 109 degrees.
Court records show that instead of checking on his daughter, Scholtes spent the next several hours inside the home playing PlayStation, making lunch, and surfing online for Nordstrom men’s clothing and pornography between 2:02 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.
By the time his wife, Dr. Erika Scholtes, returned home around 4 p.m., Parker was unresponsive. Paramedics rushed the toddler to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead by 5 p.m.
‘Flat-Time’ Sentence of Up to 30 Years
Under the plea deal, Scholtes faces 20 to 30 years of “flat time” in the Arizona Department of Corrections — meaning no early release or parole eligibility. The sentencing will be handed down by Judge Kimberly Ortiz in the coming months.
Prosecutors noted that Scholtes had previously turned down a lighter plea deal earlier this year that would have reduced his potential prison time to between 10 and 25 years.
Evidence Showed Pattern of Neglect and Substance Abuse
Text messages and surveillance footage revealed a disturbing pattern of neglect and substance abuse, according to prosecutors.
In one exchange the day of the tragedy, Dr. Scholtes confronted her husband while rushing Parker to the hospital:
“I told you to stop leaving them in the car, how many times have I told you,” she texted. “We’ve lost her. She was perfect.”
Records show that Scholtes had left his children unattended in vehicles before and often drank heavily or used drugs around them.
In one message from earlier in 2024, Erika warned him about driving drunk with their children:
“You haven’t shown me you can stop putting the girls in danger. Even yesterday, you drove home drunk with two minors. You drink to excess every time.”
Scholtes reportedly replied, “At least this one is legal, right?” before admitting to being “a piece of s— addict.”
Mother’s Plea and Ongoing Pain
At a previous court hearing, Erika Scholtes told the judge that her husband’s actions did not “represent who he is,” describing Parker’s death as a “terrible mistake.”
But investigators said her own messages painted a clearer picture of repeated warnings — ignored until tragedy struck.
Hot car deaths remain one of the leading causes of child fatalities in the U.S. Each year, dozens of children die after being left behind in vehicles. Spread awareness, check your back seat, and read more stories like this on ChicagoMusicGuide.com.