An Arizona man who pleaded guilty to murder in connection with the death of his 2-year-old daughter, who was left in a hot car for hours, was found dead just weeks before he was scheduled to be sentenced.
Christopher Scholtes, 38, was discovered dead on the morning of November 5 inside a residence in Phoenix, according to the Maricopa County Coroner’s Office. Officers from the Phoenix Police Department responded to a call at approximately 5:22 a.m., where they located Scholtes deceased. The cause of death has not yet been determined, and an autopsy is pending. Results are not expected until early 2026.
Scholtes had been expected to turn himself in on the same day, ahead of his formal sentencing set for November 21. He had pleaded guilty last month to murder and child abuse, avoiding a potential trial and the possibility of life in prison or the death penalty. Under the plea agreement, he faced a sentence ranging from 20 to 30 years without the possibility of early release.
The case drew widespread attention due to the circumstances surrounding the child’s death. According to court documents, on July 9, 2024, Scholtes returned home with his 2-year-old daughter and left her strapped in her car seat in the family vehicle during extreme heat. The temperature inside the car reached an estimated 109 degrees. Prosecutors said Scholtes went inside to play video games and was allegedly distracted for hours. His wife discovered the child unresponsive upon returning home.
Investigators also noted interviews with the couple’s two older children, who reported that they had previously been left alone in the car on multiple occasions. A text message from Scholtes’s wife, sent as emergency responders tried to save their daughter, stated: “I told you to stop leaving them in the car. How many times have I told you?”
Following his arrest, Scholtes was released on bail and temporarily permitted to travel out of state with his family before his trial date.
The Pima County Attorney’s Office has not commented on Scholtes’s death. He is survived by his wife and two remaining children. His attorney also did not respond to requests for comment.
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