Father who left child to di£ in hot car was allegedly watching porn

A two-year-old girl tragically died after being left in a hot car for over three hours by her father, Christopher Scholtes, in Arizona. Prosecutors allege Scholtes, 37, became distracted watching pornography, drinking beer, and playing video games while his daughter, Parker, sat alone in the sweltering heat.

Temperatures outside had soared to 109°F (43°C) on July 9, 2024, the day of the incident.

Before arriving home, Scholtes allegedly left Parker alone in the car during stops at a gas station and a supermarket, where he reportedly stole beer.

He initially told investigators he left the child asleep in the car with the engine and air-conditioning running for just 30 minutes.

However, court records show he was inside his home for over three hours until his wife returned around 4 p.m. and discovered Parker unconscious.

The toddler was rushed to Banner University Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead—tragically, the same hospital where her mother, Erika, worked. Scholtes later admitted knowing the car’s engine would shut off automatically after 30 minutes.

Text messages from Erika revealed she had warned him repeatedly about leaving the children in the car. “I told you to stop leaving them in the car,” she wrote, grieving the loss of her “perfect” daughter. Scholtes responded, “I killed our baby,” expressing remorse.

Police reports say his other children confirmed he often left them in the car while he played games or put away groceries.

His oldest daughter, from a previous relationship, had been left in a car in the past but was old enough to restart it. That same daughter also accused him of physical abuse, including slapping and throwing her.

Despite being charged with first-degree murder, Scholtes’ wife has continued to support him, calling the death a “big mistake.”

Bodycam footage showed police trying to revive the toddler while Scholtes paced in distress, crying out, “Please baby, please.”