How did Parker Scholtes die?

Parker Scholtes died of heatstroke after being left in a hot SUV for three hours by her father.

What was Christopher Scholtes doing while his daughter was in the car?

Christopher Scholtes was inside the air-conditioned home drinking beer, playing video games, and watching pornography.

What happened to the father, Christopher Scholtes, after Parker's death?

Christopher Scholtes died by suicide in his car on November 5, 2025, the same day he was to begin his prison sentence.

Home / Crime and Justice / Dad's 3-Hour Distraction Leaves Toddler to Die in Hot SUV

Dad's 3-Hour Distraction Leaves Toddler to Die in Hot SUV

26 Nov

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Summary

Toddler died of heatstroke after father left her in a 109F SUV for three hours.
Father distracted by video games and pornography before the fatal incident.
Father died by suicide on the same day he was to start his prison sentence.

Dad's 3-Hour Distraction Leaves Toddler to Die in Hot SUV

A devastating incident occurred in Marana, Arizona, where two-year-old Parker Scholtes succumbed to heatstroke after her father, Christopher Scholtes, left her unattended in an SUV for three hours. The temperature outside reached 109F, causing the car's interior to become a deadly trap, with the car seat registering 149.1F. While Parker was trapped, her father engaged in recreational activities, including playing video games and watching pornography, inside the air-conditioned family home.

Disturbing crime scene photos revealed tiny handprints on the inside of the car window, indicating Parker's desperate attempts to escape the extreme heat. Her small pink dress, found on the kitchen floor, was slashed open by paramedics who attempted to revive her. The father, Christopher Scholtes, faced a second-degree murder charge and was due to begin a 20 to 30-year prison sentence, but he died by suicide via carbon monoxide poisoning on November 5, 2025.