Christopher Scholtes, the Arizona man who pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for the death of his two-year-old daughter, was found dead before reporting to prison. Scholtes, who was facing a 30-year sentence, was scheduled to begin his prison term this past Wednesday but never arrived at the hearing. His death is currently being investigated as a suicide. The tragic case stems from the July 9, 2024, incident where his daughter was found unresponsive in the backseat of a car during a day when temperatures soared to 109 degrees Fahrenheit.
Evidence presented in the case revealed a disturbing pattern of neglect. Scholtes’s other children, aged 5 and 9, testified that their father regularly left them in the car, citing distractions such as video games and putting away food. Furthermore, a text message from Scholtes’s wife, sent as their daughter was being rushed to the hospital, underscored a history of similar incidents: “I told you to stop leaving them in the car. How many times have I told you?” The case highlights the dangers of leaving children unattended in vehicles, especially during extreme heat, a problem that continues to plague the United States despite widespread awareness campaigns.