The tragic case of Christopher Scholtes, who is facing charges of first-degree murder and child abuse after leaving his 2-year-old daughter in a hot car outside their Marana home, has shocked the community of Tucson, Arizona. The incident occurred on July 9, when temperatures soared to 109 degrees, resulting in the child’s body temperature reaching a dangerous 108 degrees.
During his court appearance on August 8, Scholtes entered a plea of not guilty against the charges. Defense attorney Louis Fidel explained that while a premeditated first-degree murder charge may not seem to fit, felony first-degree murder could apply in cases where another felony, such as child abuse, is being committed. Fidel highlighted that if someone dies during the commission of a felony or during flight from a felony, it can be prosecuted as first-degree murder.
According to the interim complaint, Scholtes claimed that the girl was asleep in the car with the air conditioning on. However, video evidence from neighboring property contradicted his timeline of events. The footage showed Scholtes arriving home just before 1 p.m. and not discovering his daughter in the car until his wife arrived around 4 p.m. Text messages between the couple revealed that his wife had warned him multiple times not to leave the children in the car unattended.
The medical examiner ruled the girl’s cause of death to be environmental heat exposure, and the manner of death was deemed an accident. Scholtes‘ other two children, aged 9 and 5, stated that their father had left all three children alone in the vehicle regularly and had gotten distracted playing a video game on the day of the incident.
Authorities seized a PlayStation and other electronics as part of the investigation, along with the family’s Acura MDX. Scholtes received text messages from his wife while their daughter was being transported to the hospital, expressing her frustration at his repeated negligence. Scholtes admitted to knowing that the vehicle had a safety feature that would turn off the engine after 30 minutes.
The incident took place in the driveway of the family’s home in Marana, near Cortaro and Interstate 10. Scholtes made his initial court appearance on July 12, where a not guilty plea was entered on his behalf. Despite the state’s request for a $1 million bond, he was released to pre-trial services. His wife spoke in court, advocating for his return home to begin the grieving process with their other children.
The discrepancies in Scholtes‘ account of events, as compared to security footage, raise questions about the circumstances surrounding his daughter’s tragic death. The case is set to proceed to trial, where a jury will determine the outcome. As the community grapples with this heartbreaking incident, the importance of child safety and vigilance in hot weather conditions is underscored.