Dad who left daughter, 2, to die in scorching automobile dies day he was as a consequence of be jailed
The man who murdered his toddler leaving her to die in a hot car while he watched adult movies, then went on a luxury holiday with his other kids, has been found dead in a possible suicide
A father convicted of murdering his two-year-old daughter by leaving her in a hot car while he watched pornography and play video games died the day he was due to be put behind bars.
Christopher Scholtes, 38, was was listed as deceased on November 5 by Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office in Arizona. No cause, location or details of the death was specified, but Phoenix police said they are investigating his death as a suicide.
Sources close to the family told the Daily Mail that Scholtes took his own life at his home early on Wednesday morning, but it was unclear how he did it.
Scholtes callously left his daughter to slowly die an excruciating death while he spent three hours playing his Playstation, drinking beer and watching adult movies.
He had pleaded guilty last month to second-degree murder and intentional child abuse in the death of his daughter, Parker, who died after being left strapped in a vehicle on July 9 last year amid 42-degrees celsius temperatures.
Scholtes had been allowed to stay out on bail until his next hearing, and during this time he reportedly planned his suicide. He was even granted permission to go on a family holiday to Hawaii earlier this year with his two remaining daughters.
When the time came for Scholtes to attend a hearing at Pima County Superior Court on November 5, he never showed up. His sentencing of up to 30 years in prison was due on November 21.
His two other children, aged five and nine, said their father regularly left all three of them in the car. They said that “he got distracted by playing his game and putting his food away” when their sister was in the car.
In a text conversation, his wife allegedly repeatedly cautioned him against leaving the children in the vehicle. She texted: “I told you to stop leaving them in the car, how many times have I told you.” He said: “Babe, I’m sorry.” His wife replied: “We’ve lost her, she was perfect.”
Police and firefighters said they found the child unresponsive in the backseat of the car. She was taken to hospital, but did not survive.
Scholtes reportedly informed Marana Police detectives that he had left his daughter in the car with the air conditioning running while she slept in her car seat after completing errands that day.
He allegedly knew that his car’s engine automatically shuts off after 30 minutes, reports the Mirror. Body camera footage shows Scholtes pacing around saying it was his “worst nightmare”.
For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletter by clicking here .
