Arizona man pled guilty in hot-car death found dead before sentencing

Christopher Scholtes, the Arizona man who last month pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the death of his 2-year-old daughter, was found dead early Wednesday in a Phoenix home on the day he was scheduled to surrender to authorities ahead of his Nov. 21 sentencing, officials said. Phoenix police responded to a call at about 5 a.m. and discovered Scholtes, 38, authorities and the Pima County attorney’s office said. The Maricopa County Medical Examiner has listed the case among its investigations and said the cause of death remains under review.

Scholtes had pleaded guilty last month to second-degree murder and intentional child abuse in the July 9, 2024, death of his daughter, Parker, who died after being left in a vehicle outside the family home in Marana as temperatures reached about 109 degrees. An autopsy on the child showed a body temperature of 108.9 degrees, and first responders pronounced her dead after she was taken to a hospital. Under the terms of the plea agreement, prosecutors said Scholtes faced an expected prison term of 20 to 30 years.

Court and investigative records show Scholtes told officers he had left the car running with the air conditioning on and that...