EXCLUSIVE: Christopher Scholtes' Guilty Plea to Leaving Daughter to Die In Hot Car is 'Justice' For Toddler... As 'Hated' Arizona Dad 'Will Not Be Eligible for Early Release'
Christopher Scholtes changed his plea to guilty in the death of his daughter.
Oct. 23 2025, Published 7:20 p.m. ET
An Arizona dad's sudden plea of guilty to letting his 2-year-old daughter bake in a hot car while he played video games and surfed for porn is being celebrated as "justice" for the deceased toddler, RadarOnline.com can exclusively report.
Christopher Scholtes originally pleaded not guilty to the charges, but accepted a plea deal just days before his trial was scheduled to start.
Guilty Plea Details Revealed
Scholtes had been charged with first-degree murder.
Scholtes decided to change his plea to guilty to lesser charges after the 2024 death of his daughter, Parker, who spent more than three hours trapped in his car outside.
The Pima County Attorney’s Office exclusively told RadarOnline.com: "Today, Christopher Scholtes accepted a plea agreement and pled guilty to one Count of Second-Degree Murder and one Count of Intentional/Knowing Child Abuse under Circumstance Likely to Cause Death or Serious Physical Injury.
"Under the terms of the plea, the sentences imposed by the judge are going to run consecutively, and Scholtes will face a sentencing range of 20 to 30 years of 'flat time.'"
That means he won't face life in prison, or worse, but won't be eligible for early release and will instead be forced to serve the full sentence imposed by the court.
Scholtes left his daughter to die in his hot car while he was inside.
The statement continued: "We are grateful for the hard work and dedication of our prosecutors, victim advocates, and staff for their collaboration with local law enforcement on this complicated and high-profile case.
"This is yet another reminder to the community that the Pima County Attorney’s Office will do everything we can to get justice for victims and prosecute those who have caused harm to others, especially those who are most vulnerable."
Scholtes is scheduled to be sentenced on November 21. He will be allowed to remain out of custody until November 5, when the court will determine if and when he will be taken to jail.
How Scholtes' 2 Year Old Daughter Died
The Arizona father had been accused of neglect before.
As RadarOnline.com has reported, the father of three left his youngest child in the car after running some errands and returning home.
Prosecutors said the 38-year-old cracked open a few beers he shoplifted earlier in the day, played some video games, and searched for porn on his PlayStation – all while the toddler was still in the car.
He later admitted he was aware that the car engine in his vehicle turns off after 30 minutes, at which point there would be no air conditioning.
Parker’s mother, an anesthesiologist, discovered her daughter in critical condition in the car with the AC off when she came home around 4 p.m.
The toddler was rushed to the same hospital where her mother works, and was declared dead an hour later.
Past Abuse Allegations Revealed
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Under the terms of the deal he will not be released early.
Medical examiners said temperatures in the 2003 Acura climbed as high as 109 degrees over the three hours Parker was trapped inside.
That wasn't the first time he "forgot" one of his kids in a car. In a text message after Parker's incident, his wife, Erika, allegedly texted him in a panic, "I told you to stop leaving them in the car. How many times have I told you?"
His two surviving daughters, who were 6 and 9 at the time, reportedly said in interviews that their father had previously left them alone in the car on other occasions.
While his 16-year-old daughter from a previous marriage also claimed he frequently left her alone inside cars without food for hours at a time, even to the point where Child Protective Services took her away from him.
