Arizona Father Dies by Apparent Suicide Weeks After Leaving Daughter to Die in 109°F Car While He Drank Beer

An Arizona father who pleaded guilty to killing his two-year-old daughter has died by apparent suicide, just weeks before he was set to be sentenced.

Christopher Scholtes was scheduled to be taken into custody, but never arrived at the hearing. His death marks a grim end to a case that shocked his community.

Scholtes's death comes more than a year after his young daughter, Parker, was found dead in the driveway of their Marana home. The tragic discovery was made on a scorching July afternoon in 2024, when the temperature soared to 109°F.

What Really Happened on That 109°F Day

He initially claimed to have left the toddler in the car for only 30 minutes with the air conditioning on, saying he did not want to wake her from a nap.

But court records revealed a far more disturbing timeline. Scholtes left the little girl strapped in the car for three hours.

He even admitted to investigators that he was aware the car's engine would automatically shut off after 30 minutes, cutting off the AC.

While his daughter was outside roasting to death, Scholtes was inside the home watching porn, playing video games, and drinking beer.

'How Many Times Have I Told You?': A History of Warnings

The little girl was only found when Scholtes's wife returned home. In a flurry of enraged texts sent after the discovery, she berated him for his carelessness.

'I told you to stop leaving them in the car', she wrote. 'How many times have I told you?'

The grieving mother added in the exchange that their two-year-old was 'perfect'.

His negligence was reportedly a pattern. His older daughters, from a different relationship, told investigators he sometimes left them in the car as well.

They claimed he would forget about them after being distracted by his video games, according to one report. His oldest daughter, who turns 18 this month, sued him last week over emotional distress.

A Guilty Plea and a Prison Sentence He Would Never Serve

Scholtes was initially offered a plea deal in the spring but rejected it.

In October, he finally pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. He was expected to be sentenced to as much as 30 years in prison this month.

Scholtes was due to report to prison before the term was officially handed down, but he never arrived.

The Maricopa County Medical Examiner's office listed him as dead on Wednesday, as reported by ABC 15. Phoenix police are investigating the death as an apparent suicide, another source confirmed.