On July 9, 2024, Christopher Scholtes returned home to Marana, Arizona, with his 2-year-old daughter Parker, who was asleep in her car seat. He left her in the parked car in the family's driveway on a day when temperatures reached 109 degrees, knowing that the vehicle's engine would automatically shut off after 30 minutes. Security footage showed he arrived home around 12:53 p.m., contradicting his initial claim of 2:30 p.m. While Parker was left in the car for approximately three hours, Scholtes was inside the home drinking beer, playing video games, and watching pornography, never once checking on his daughter. His wife Erika arrived home around 4:08 p.m. and asked where Parker was; after searching the rooms, Scholtes realized he had left her in the car. Parker was found unresponsive, still strapped in her car seat, with the car no longer running. She was pronounced dead at Banner University Medical Center with a body temperature of 108.9 degrees; her cause of death was determined to be heat exposure. Scholtes' other children reported he had regularly left all three children unattended in vehicles.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
The father left a 2-year-old alone in a parked car for over three hours while he was inside the house. The NBC News article (Document 4) states: "Video surveillance 'does not show Christopher checking on his vehicle or daughter during this time-frame.'" The children told investigators "he got distracted by playing his game and putting his food away." The KGUN9 article (Document 7) further states Scholtes "sat in the living room drinking, playing video games and watching pornography" while Parker was in the car. This is a clear case of inappropriate supervision.
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
Multiple prior DCS reports describe allegations of inflicted injury to a sibling. The DCS statement (Document 1) describes: "Mr. Scholtes slapped the child and squeezed her arm causing bruising" (June 2014), "the father hit the child and left bruises" (January 2017), "Mr. Scholtes slapped the child, causing them to lose their breath" (September 2017). The NY Post article (Document 8) states: "Scholtes is also accused of repeatedly physically abusing his eldest daughter, according to the Department of Child Services, which reported that he frequently slapped her, threw her, and slammed her head against walls."
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
The DCS statement (Document 1) describes multiple allegations involving a sibling. The September 26, 2017 report alleged "the child is left to manage their diabetes without parental oversight." The December 12, 2019 report alleged "the father has not allowed the child to engage in therapy." The December 1, 2020 report alleged "the father never filled prescription medications for the child and was refusing to set up behavioral health services for the child." These constitute mentions of medical neglect, though they pertain to a sibling rather than Parker.
Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?
Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?
Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?
This is a hot car death. The DCS statement (Document 1) states Parker "was found unresponsive after her father left her sleeping in a vehicle in the family's driveway." The ABC News article (Document 3) reports: "The temperature in Marana reached a scorching 111 degrees on Tuesday." The True Crime News article (Document 9) confirms: "An autopsy report showed that Parker's body temperature was 108.9 degrees Fahrenheit and determined her cause of death to be heat exposure." The AZ Family article (Document 6) reports "The temperature at the time was 109 degrees."
Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?
Is there any mention of sexual abuse?
The DCS summary report (Document 2, section 3d) states: "A subsequent report was received on June 27, 2025, with allegations of neglect and physical abuse to a sibling by their father and stepmother. The report also includes an allegation of sexual abuse to the sibling by the father... that was alleged to have occurred in 2020." This is an affirmative allegation of sexual abuse to a sibling by the father, Christopher Scholtes (erroneously named as "Lance Savard" in the document).
Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?
Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?
Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
Christopher Scholtes is identified as Parker's biological father across all documents. The DCS statement (Document 1) identifies "her father" as responsible. The NBC News article (Document 4) describes the family dynamic with Scholtes as the father and his wife as the mother. Parker is their child together.
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?
Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?
Was a foster parent involved in the death?
Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
Was a sibling involved in the death?
Child Characteristics
Was the child adopted?
Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?
Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?
Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?
Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)
Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)
Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?
Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?
The DCS statement (Document 1) and summary report (Document 2) detail nine prior DCS reports involving the father, Christopher Scholtes, from June 28, 2014 through December 1, 2020. These involved allegations of physical abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect against a sibling (an older child from a previous relationship). While Document 2 notes "There has been no prior DCS involvement regarding Parker Scholtes" specifically, the extensive history of reports involving the father and a sibling constitutes a clear history of child protection reports prior to death.
Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?
Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?
Parent/Caregiver Factors
Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?
The DCS statement (Document 1) states: "On August 1, 2024, a Pima County Grand Jury indicted the father, Christopher Scholtes, on charges of first-degree murder and child abuse in relation to Parker's death." The ABC News article (Document 3) states: "Scholtes was arrested Friday morning for second-degree murder and child abuse." The True Crime News article (Document 9) reports he ultimately "pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder and one count of child abuse."
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?
Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?
The True Crime News article (Document 9) reports that Christopher Scholtes "took his own life" the morning he was to turn himself in for sentencing, dying from "apparent suicide." Additionally, it notes he "had a history of substance abuse, including cocaine and alcohol." While no specific mental health diagnosis is named, the suicide and substance abuse history imply mental health issues for the caregiver.
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
The True Crime News article (Document 9) states: "Scholtes had a history of substance abuse, including cocaine and alcohol." The KGUN9 article (Document 7) describes Scholtes as "drinking, playing video games and watching pornography" while Parker was in the car. The NY Post article (Document 8) states he was "drinking beers as his daughter perished from heat exposure."
Notable Details
Several notable details emerge across the sources. First, Christopher Scholtes died by apparent suicide on the morning of November 5, 2025, when he was supposed to turn himself in for sentencing after pleading guilty to second-degree murder, as reported by the True Crime News article (Document 9): "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." Second, while awaiting trial on murder charges, Scholtes was allowed to vacation in Maui, Hawaii, with his wife and remaining children in May 2025. Third, the NY Post article (Document 8) reveals Scholtes left Parker alone in the car at a gas station and supermarket before returning home, where he was also caught on surveillance stealing beer cans. Fourth, his wife Erika was an anesthesiologist at Banner University Medical Center — the same hospital where Parker was pronounced dead. Fifth, the official DCS Summary Report (Document 2) contains apparent clerical errors, substituting the name "Lance Savard" for Christopher Scholtes in multiple sections and identifying Parker as male, contradicting all other sources. Finally, Document 9 reports that Scholtes' oldest daughter, age 17, filed a lawsuit for emotional damages the day before his death.
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