The Arizona father recently took his own life to avoid prison for leaving his toddler daughter in a scorching car has had the chilling cause of his passing revealed.
On November 5, early in the morning, the body of 38-year-old Christopher Scholtes was found in the garage of his Phoenix home.
He had left his daughter, Parker, unattended in the vehicle while he played video games and watched adult content, resulting in the tragic passing of the child.
The Maricopa County Medical Examiner has shared new details surrounding Christopher Scholtes’ passing
Trigger warning: This article contains details of self-harm and loss of life under tragic circumstances
On the day his body was discovered, Scholtes was scheduled to begin a 20 to 30-year prison sentence for the second-degree m**der of his daughter back in July 2024.
According to the Phoenix Police Department, his body was “found in his car, which was parked in the garage.”
No further details or the exact cause of his passing were made public at the time.
Reportedly he had taken his own life the night before, leaving his doctor wife, Erika Scholtes, unaware of his intentions.
Pima County Attorney Laura Conover said in a public statement, “Instead of coming in to take account for what has occurred here, we have been informed, and we have confirmed, that the father took his own life last night.”
The deceased father was scheduled to report to prison to begin his sentence after pleading guilty to taking the life of his daughter
According to the Maricopa County Medical Examiner, who spoke to Daily Mail, while the investigation is still ongoing, the possible cause of his passing appears to be carbon monoxide inhalation inside the car.
The circumstances are particularly unsettling given the way his daughter lost her life.
However, Parker’s passing occurred in a 2023 Acura, while authorities confirmed that Christopher was not found in the same vehicle as his child.
Reportedly, Parker had slowly and painfully lost her life in the Acura after being left alone for three hours in scorching 90°F heat.
The little one’s body temperature reached 108 degrees when she was finally discovered by her mother.
According to the medical examiner, Scholtes likely passed away from carbon monoxide inhalation
Just hours before the tragedy, Christopher was seen driving around town with his daughter in the back seat.
The now-deceased 38-year-old was facing a prison term without parole and had been out on bail at the time of his demise.
Investigators have ruled out any possibility of foul play by his wife, who works as an anesthesiologist.
Attorney Laura Conover expressed in a statement that “justice was not served,” noting how the father avoided accountability and prison time through his actions.
“This little girl’s voice was nearly silenced because justice was not served appropriately this morning.”
Conover further shared heartfelt words for Parker’s two older sisters, who not only lost their baby sister but also their father.
Christopher had left the child trapped in the boiling car for three hours while he watched adult content and drank
She said, addressing them, “May you be surrounded by love, may you received all of the support you deserve and need, and then some. May you know and believe that you can survive and thrive.”
“When you look back on this time as the years follow, may you not feel tied down by what happened here, but rather lifted up by your baby sister’s wings.”
Moreover, investigators learned through interviews with the surviving sisters that Christopher would often leave all three of his children unattended in the car.
However, he never spent a single day behind bars for his role in Parker’s demise or for endangering the lives of his other children.
Scholtes had previously pleaded not guilty last year and rejected a plea deal in March that could have reduced his sentence to just 10 years behind bars.
However, as the case continued to worsen for him, he ultimately accepted a 20 to 30-year prison term.
According to attorneys handling the tragic case, “justice was not served”
Image credits: Law&Crime Network
In addition to the criminal charges, Scholtes was also facing a lawsuit filed by his 17-year-old daughter from a previous marriage, who accused him of “traumatizing” her by leaving her in the car for hours since she was just 7 years old.
Her lawsuit stated, “As a result, Plaintiff suffered severe emotional distress, anxiety, depression, sui**dal ideations, post-traumatic stress, and long-term psychological harm.”
Upon learning the news of her father’s passing, the unnamed teen told Daily Mail through her guardian that she “wasn’t surprised,” adding that Christopher had taken his own life to avoid prison.
“He further chose to traumatize his family members and not take accountability for baby,” one disappointed user commented
