EXCLUSIVE: Eldest Daughter of Arizona Man Who Let Toddler Die in Boiling Car Sued Stepmom and Killer Dad for 'Abuse' — Days Before He Committed Suicide
Christopher Scholtes' eldest daughter (not pictured) has sued his wife Erika for abuse.
Nov. 11 2025, Published 2:28 p.m. ET
The eldest daughter of an Arizona man who "forgot" his two-year-old child was trapped in a scorching hot car seat has sued him and his wife for abuse – just days before Christopher Scholtes shockingly killed himself before reporting to prison.
The teenage minor claims her stepmom, Erika Scholtes, bears responsibility for the toddler's heartbreaking death as well.
Erika's Role in the Abuse
Erika was accused of allowing and joining in on the alleged abuse of the teen.
The teen, whose mother died in February 2024 is now a ward of the state, has accused Erika of "repeated physical, emotional, and psychological abuse."
While Christopher was accused of the physical violence, Erika "aided, abetted, and/or directly participated in the abuse of Plaintiff and in maintaining a violent and unsafe home environment," according to court documents obtained by Radar.
The eldest daughter turns 18 next week and is currently being represented by her former guardian in the civil suit.
As Radar has reported, Christopher and Erika have previously faced multiple investigations from Arizona's Department of Child Safety on her behalf.
Christopher was investigated nine times on allegations of neglect, as well as physical and emotional abuse, between June 2014 and December 2020.
Among the allegations were reports he would slap the child and spank her, leaving bruises on her body.
In one instance, Scholtes allegedly "slapped the child, causing them to lose their breath," and left the child to "manage their diabetes without parental oversight."
Details of Abuse
Two-year-old Parker died in the extreme heat when she was strapped into her car seat.
Other reports detailed accusations of verbal abuse, including using derogatory names. A report also claimed Christopher "yells at the child excessively and tells the child things to break them mentally, such as calling them by foul names and referring to them as 'a mistake.'"
The girl was said to have been experiencing "suicidal ideation due to their father and stepmother treating them differently than the other children in the home and calling the child names."
However, in every one of the cases, the allegations were eventually deemed unsubstantiated, as there was not enough evidence to support them.
Instead, "the child was assessed as safe in Mr. Scholtes' home," and "the family was provided with information on services available in the community and the case was closed."
Christopher Had A History of Neglect Accusations
Christopher had been accused of 'forgetting' his two other daughters in hot cars as well.
Christopher committed suicide after agreeing to a plea deal for the death of his two-year-old daughter, Parker, after leaving her strapped to her car seat in 109-degree heat while he was inside drinking beers, playing video games and searching for porn.
And this apparently wasn't the first time he had neglected one of his children. According to a criminal complaint, his two surviving daughters, who were 6 and 9 at the time, said in interviews that their father had previously left them alone on other occasions, often without food or water for hours at a time.
In a text message after Parker's incident, his distraught wife, Erika, allegedly wrote: "I told you to stop leaving them in the car. How many times have I told you?"
Officials Deliver an Emotional Message to the Survivors
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Pima County Attorney Laura Conover tried to offer a message of hope.
After Christopher's death, Pima County Attorney Laura Conover shared an emotional message of hope to Parker's surviving sisters.
"I want to end by speaking directly for a moment to our little girl's older sisters, whom I have not had the chance to meet," Conover said as she fought back tears. "May you be surrounded by love. May you receive all of the support you deserve and need and then some. May you know and believe that you can survive and thrive."
Conover also tried to assure the sisters that they would be able to heal.
"I have proof there are prosecutors and victim advocates and all kinds of people who work in this building who have been working on cases like this for nearly decades, and they've watched people like you survive and thrive, and are now living here in our community as successful and happy adults."
