by Phoenix, Arizona – New details have emerged about Christopher Scholtes, the Arizona father who was found deceased inside a vehicle parked in a closed garage on the morning he was due to report to prison following a guilty plea in his 2-year-old daughter’s hot-car death.
Sgt. Brian Bower of the Phoenix Police Department said officers responded at 5:22 a.m. and that the death is being investigated as a suicide. Scholtes’s death occurred the same day he was scheduled to surrender to authorities ahead of his sentencing hearing in Pima County Court.
Guilty Plea Came Weeks Before Trial
Scholtes, 38, had earlier entered a guilty plea to second-degree murder in connection with the July 2024 death of his daughter, Parker Scholtes. Under the plea deal, prosecutors and defense agreed on a 20–30 year prison term. Had his case proceeded to trial, Scholtes could have faced life in prison or the death penalty.
At the time of his plea, a judge allowed Scholtes — then out on bail — to remain at home for a short period and spend time with his doctor wife and their surviving daughters before reporting to prison.
Harrowing Details From the Day Parker Died
Court records and investigative materials describe the tragic circumstances of July 9, 2024, when Parker was left inside a vehicle for more than three hours while outside the family home.
Temperatures that day climbed as high as 109 degrees, creating a lethal environment inside the parked car. Documents indicate Scholtes had been running errands with Parker, returned home, brought in groceries, and then became distracted — playing video games and at one point searching for porn on a device — leaving Parker unattended in the vehicle.
Body camera footage captured Scholtes telling responding officers he had left Parker in the car with the air conditioning running because she was asleep and then “forgot” she was there.
Investigators later determined Scholtes had previously left children unattended in vehicles, with the surviving daughters and text messages referenced in the criminal complaint.
Troubling Family History Detailed in Reports
Court filings also expose a long history of allegations involving Scholtes. From 2014 to 2020, his teenage daughter from a prior relationship made nine complaints to the Arizona Department of Child Safety alleging physical and emotional abuse and neglect. While those earlier reports were never substantiated, the teen later moved into her mother’s care.
In 2025, an additional allegation of sexual abuse emerged; authorities removed one child from Scholtes’s home while determining the remaining children were not in immediate danger. The Department of Child Safety confirmed the case remains open and that services were provided to the child.
Civil Lawsuit Withdrawn After Father’s Death
Before Scholtes’s death, his teen daughter had filed a civil lawsuit accusing him of neglect and abuse. Following the suicide, the daughter asked that the lawsuit be dismissed. Her former guardian, Lindsay Eisenberg, who helped file the suit, told PEOPLE the teen wanted to retreat from public scrutiny.
“She just wants to move on with her life and find peace… The publicity around her life is too much for her to mentally handle.” — Lindsay Eisenberg, former guardian
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Community Reaction and Ongoing Questions
Scholtes’s death compounds a family tragedy that already included the loss of a young child and years of fraught allegations. Phoenix authorities say there is currently no sign of foul play, but the investigation into his death continues.
Meanwhile, community members and legal observers are left asking how multiple warning signs and prior reports failed to prevent the disaster.
The case also raises broader questions about the handling of child safety complaints, pretrial conditions for defendants accused of serious crimes, and support systems for families following traumatic incidents.
What Comes Next
Officials will proceed with the remaining legal and administrative steps tied to Parker’s death, including finalizing the disposition of Scholtes’s plea and any outstanding civil matters that may be revived. The Department of Child Safety’s open file remains part of the ongoing review into allegations involving Scholtes and his family.
For official updates from local law enforcement, see the Phoenix Police Department. For more reporting and community conversation about this and related cases, visit mikeandjonpodcast.com.
