Porn, games, beer distracted dad while daughter died in hot car
Reports indicate an Arizona father became so absorbed in video games and pornography that he forgot his 2-year-old daughter was still in his hot car.
Christopher Scholtes is facing a first-degree murder charge in the death of his young daughter, Parker, after he left her napping in her car seat amid 90-degree heat in July 2024.
Scholtes is set to go to trial later this month. The father of three allegedly left his youngest child in the vehicle after running errands and becoming "distracted."
A new court filing alleges the 38-year-old drank several beers he had shoplifted earlier that day, played games, and searched for porn on his PlayStation – all while the toddler slept.
Scholtes has said he left the car running with the air conditioning on, but after a lengthy period, the vehicle shut off.
Medical examiners reported that temperatures inside the 2003 Acura climbed to as high as 109 degrees during the three hours Parker was trapped inside.
The Toddler Was Found by Her Mother
Parker’s mother, an anesthesiologist, arrived home around 4 p.m. and discovered her daughter in critical condition in the car with the AC off.
The toddler was rushed to the same hospital where her mother works and was pronounced dead an hour later.
Scholtes admitted he knew the vehicle’s engine turns off after 30 minutes, which would leave it without air conditioning.
It Had Happened Before
This was not the first time Scholtes left one of his children in a closed vehicle.
According to a criminal complaint, investigators also alleged the two surviving daughters, who were 6 and 9 at the time, said in interviews that their father had previously left them alone in the car on other occasions.
His 16-year-old daughter from a previous marriage also claimed he frequently left her alone in cars without food for hours, ultimately leading Child Protective Services to remove her from his care.
In a text message after Parker’s incident, his wife, Erika Scholtes, allegedly wrote: "I told you to stop leaving them in the car. How many times have I told you?"
Family Trip
Still, Erika has stood by her man throughout, and the couple, along with their two surviving daughters, drew criticism when a judge granted their request to take a family vacation to Maui earlier this year.
In May, his defense team successfully sought a temporary change to his bail terms, allowing him to travel with his family for more than a week.
Judge Kimberly Ortiz approved Scholtes’ travel request over prosecutors’ objections, with conditions including no unsupervised contact with children and regular check-ins.
Scholtes has pleaded not guilty to the murder charge. He previously declined a plea deal that would have reduced the charge to second-degree murder, with a maximum sentence of 25 years.
Instead, if convicted, he now faces life in prison or the death penalty.
Technology & Business Editor
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