An Arizona man has been charged with murdering his 2-year-old daughter who reportedly died in a hot car on Tuesday.
The Arizona Daily Star reported that surveillance footage showed Christopher Scholtes, 37, arriving at a Marana home three hours before emergency crews responded to that location. Scholtes allegedly told authorities that he left his daughter in the car for an hour as she slept and the air conditioning was on.
READ: 2-Year-Old Arizona Tot Found Dead, Marking 8th Pediatric Vehicular Heatstroke in US This Year
According to KPHO, the girl’s mother — a doctor — found her unresponsive in the car, which was not running. She reportedly called 911 and performed CPR until crews arrived.
It was 109 degrees in the area where the toddler died on Tuesday. Authorities said surveillance footage indicated she was left in the vehicle for three hours, not one as her father claimed.
Scholtes said he gets an alert to his phone when the car overheats or shuts off. He claimed he was notified this time.
Marana police executed a search warrant days before Scholtes’ arrest. The Arizona Daily Star reported that police seized a PlayStation 5, remote control, gaming headset, drink on a coffee table, and an iPad.
Scholtes is charged with second-degree murder and child abuse. He is currently jailed at the Pima County Adult Detention Center.
So far, 10 children have died in hot cars this year, including Scholtes’ daughter. According to No Heat Stroke, 29 children died of vehicular heatstrokes in 2023.
