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Father Accused of Toddler's Hot Car Death Found Dead Before Sentencing
5 Nov
Summary
- Arizona man pleaded guilty to murdering 2-year-old daughter in hot car
- Was found dead on Nov. 5, hours before he was to turn himself in for sentencing
- Cause of death under investigation, autopsy results not expected until 2026
On Nov. 5, 2025, police in Phoenix, Arizona discovered the body of 38-year-old Christopher Scholtes, who had pleaded guilty to murdering his 2-year-old daughter after she died in a hot car parked in the family's driveway. Scholtes was found deceased just hours before he was scheduled to turn himself in ahead of his Nov. 21 sentencing.
The Maricopa County Coroner's records show that Scholtes' cause of death is currently under investigation, and an autopsy will be performed, though the results are not expected until early 2026. Sgt. Brian Bower of the Phoenix Police Department confirmed that officers responded to a call at 5:22 a.m. on Nov. 5 and discovered Scholtes' body.
Scholtes had surprised many last month by pleading guilty to murder, just days before his trial was set to begin. Under the terms of the plea deal, he was facing between 20 and 30 years in prison, without the possibility of early release. Had he gone to trial, Scholtes could have faced life in prison or even the death penalty.
The tragic incident occurred on July 9, 2024, when Scholtes left his 2-year-old daughter in the car while he went inside the family home to play video games. The child's mother discovered her several hours later, and the temperature inside the vehicle was 109 degrees.
