Arizona father indicted in hot car death of 2-year-old daughter

MARANA, Ariz. (Scripps News Tucson/Court TV) — An Arizona father has been indicted for first-degree murder after his 2-year-old daughter died after being left in a car for hours.

Christopher Scholtes (Pima County Sheriff’s Office)

Christopher Scholtes, 37,  was arrested July 12 on charges of second degree murder and child abuse. On Thursday, a grand jury indicted him on charges of felony first-degree murder and felony child abuse.

The indictment reads:

On or about July 9, 2024, Christopher Scholtes, under circumstances likely to produce death or serious physical injury, committed child abuse by intentionally or knowingly, causing [redacted], a minor under fifteen, to suffer physical injury…by leaving [redacted] unattended in the vehicle.

Investigators say surveillance cameras to determine Scholtes had left his daughter in the car in their driveway from about 12:50 p.m. until about 4 p.m. The child’s mother returned home to discover the young girl still in the car.

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Scholtes had told police during the investigation he left his daughter there with the air conditioning on because she’d been sleeping—something he revealed he had done before.

On the day she died, the car and air conditioning had shut off after Scholtes went into the house.

This story was originally published by Scripps News Tucson, an E.W. Scripps Company.