Arizona Man’s Suicide After Daughter’s Hot Car Tragedy
Christopher Scholtes left his daughter inside a hot car, resulting in her death and charges of murder against him. However, he took his life this week, ahead of surrendering to start a prison sentence. He pleaded guilty in an Arizona court last month.
The Hot Car Death
TMZ reported the death as a suicide. However, when News 4 Tucson KVOA-TV reported it on YouTube, that had not been confirmed. However, was confirmed that the man had passed away. The death of the child came in July last year, after Parker, aged two, was left inside a hot car for about three hours.
In the court case, prosecutors alleged that Scholtes left his little girl in the car while he was inside the house. Allegedly, he was drinking beer, playing video games, and watching pornography. According to the accusation, he was aware that the air conditioner in the vehicle would shut off after 30 minutes.
Confirmed Dead
The day he was supposed to appear in court, Scholtes was found dead at a house in Phoenix. His death was confirmed by the County Attorney’s Office and the Maricopa County Medical Examiner, who is looking into the suicide. The final report will be available in about three months.
After the event in 2024, his wife, Dr. Erika Scholtes, an anesthesiologist, had asked the court to release him. She called his actions a “big mistake” and emphasized the family’s deep mourning.
The situation was made more complex by a lawsuit from his then 17-year-old daughter, who had previously accused him of abuse and filed a suit against him and her mother for causing emotional distress.
Not Unusual Car Offence
Each summer, the police and the media advise people about the danger of leaving children locked in hot cars. In fact, Scholtes isn’t alone in being arrested. In July this year, one child died and another ended up seriously ill in California.
In that case, mom Maya Hernandez admitted she knew heat could kill. However, she left the kids in the car while she went to a spa. Later she also faced charges of murder.
Meanwhile, Florida authorities arrested former NFL linebacker Adarius Taylor on May 8, 2025. He had allegedly left his six-year-old son locked in a car alone.
The arrest took place during a human trafficking sting operation. According to reports, Taylor was attempting to solicit sex from an undercover officer posing as a prostitute at the time.
Viewers Respond To Christopher’s Death
In the comments of the video by News 4 Tucson, there wasn’t much sympathy for Christopher Scholtes or his wife.
One person opined, “A craven coward until the end. His wife was far too generous to him when he murdered their little girl. She knew he was leaving the kids in the car, he’d done it all along despite her telling him not to. He didn’t give a fig about those children.”
Here are a few more responses:
- Gave himself a death sentence, probably more than the jury could have done.
- The trash took itself out. Amazing.
- I feel terrible for other kids. I have zero sympathy for useless Mom. She’s not fit parent either. Enough said.
What are your thoughts? Are you shocked that in this day and age, adults still seem to think it’s okay to leave a child locked in a hot car? Sound off in the comments below, and come back here often for all your child safety awareness news and updates.
