An Arizona man, Christopher Scholtes, 37, is facing charges of second-degree murder and child abuse after the tragic death of his 2-year-old daughter, who was left in a hot car for hours. Court documents reveal that Scholtes was distracted by playing video games and regularly left his children unattended in the car. The incident occurred in Marana, about 100 miles south of Phoenix, amid triple-digit temperatures. According to the documents, Scholtes left his daughter in the car while putting away groceries and playing video games.
Discovery and Aftermath
The oversight became apparent only after Scholtes’ wife, Erika, returned home from work and asked about their daughter’s whereabouts. Panicked, Scholtes began searching the house before realizing that he had left the child in the car. They found the 2-year-old unresponsive and still strapped into her car seat. Despite their efforts to revive her, the girl was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
Video surveillance footage showed Scholtes arriving home around 12:53 p.m., a minute after his other children, aged 5 and 9, entered the house. The footage did not show him checking on the vehicle or his daughter before Erika arrived at around 4 p.m. The outside temperature was reported to be 109 degrees Fahrenheit at the time of the 911 call.
Legal Proceedings and Investigation
In the wake of the incident, Scholtes admitted his negligence over text messages to Erika, who had repeatedly reminded him to stop leaving their children in the car. In his texts, Scholtes expressed his remorse, writing, “Babe I’m sorry!… Babe our family. How could I do this. I killed our baby, this can’t be real.”
Authorities have seized multiple electronics, including a PlayStation, as part of their investigation. Scholtes’ 2023 Acura MDX was also taken by Marana Police Department detectives. The case has garnered significant attention, highlighting the dangers of leaving children unattended in vehicles, especially in extreme heat.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Thursday, August 1, where official charges will be announced, according to Shawndrea Thomas, a spokeswoman for the Pima County Attorney’s Office. Scholtes currently does not have an attorney listed in court records, and his contact information is unlisted. This tragic case serves as a stark reminder of the critical importance of child safety, particularly regarding the hazards of leaving children in hot cars. The loss of the young girl has undoubtedly left a profound impact on her family and the community, prompting calls for greater awareness and preventative measures to avoid such devastating incidents in the future.