Father Pleads Guilty to Murder After Leaving Toddler in Hot Car

Guilty Plea in Toddler's Hot Car Death

• 👨‍⚖️ Christopher Scholtes has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder after his 2-year-old daughter, Parker, died in a hot car.
• 🚨 Scholtes called 911 after finding Parker unresponsive outside his Arizona home, claiming she was left to nap with the air conditioner running.

Prosecution's Account of Events

• ⏱️ Prosecutors state that Scholtes left his daughter in the car for over three hours, contradicting his claim of a shorter duration.
• 🍺 Evidence suggests Scholtes was inside the home engaging in activities such as watching pornography, playing video games, and drinking beer during that time.
• ❄️ The car's air conditioner was found to be off, and investigators believe Scholtes knew it would automatically shut off after 30 minutes.

History of Neglect and Wife's Plea

• 📱 Text messages from his wife, Erica (a doctor), indicate a history of Scholtes leaving their children in the car, with one message stating, "I told you to stop leaving them in the car."
• 🗣️ Their two other daughters reportedly told police that their father had a pattern of leaving them in the car for extended periods, especially when he worked at bars.
• 💔 Erica Scholtes had previously pleaded with the judge to release her husband, calling it a "big mistake" and stating it did not represent him.
• 🎭 A guardian for Scholtes' daughter from a previous relationship described his emotional reaction on bodycam footage as "crocodile tears."