Arizona girl, 2, left in car by father on 109-degree day and is found dead #2

[LifeIsAMystery]

Here we go - a guy being catered to by his domineering wife, being allowed to prioritize play - as in very likely something prescribed or illegal - over his kids.

He seems to get away with it by constantly stroking her ego.

I'm not sure I see her as domineering. Very co-dependent, definitely. The family system is like a cult revolving around CS as the deity and his chaos. The bodycam videos were quite something. She gives life and death power over all to him. But he has it. And even when kids are removed or murdered, she doubles down on fawning, protecting and appeasing him. IMHO he dominates with passive aggressive behavior. Her mom is an active "acolyte" too, this is likely multi generational dysfunction. She can't seem to see that safety is the most important value, and focus should be on kids. Her drive is to protect and change this loser as if that is the route to a good family, even now she is unconscious of her cognitive errors. All just MOOO.

 

[SMK777]

ETA: I'm also just so torn because the surviving children are going through some of the most intense trauma you could ever put on a child... and they absolutely need stability right now.... and what does stable even look like for these girls?

SBM
And of course in these situations there is a strong instinct and incentive for the traumatized children to cling to and idealize the parents— because it’s all they’ve known, and it feels safer not to upend things.

 

[Arkay]

I'm not sure I see her as domineering. Very co-dependent, definitely. The family system is like a cult revolving around CS as the deity and his chaos. The bodycam videos were quite something. She gives life and death power over all to him. But he has it. And even when kids are removed or murdered, she doubles down on fawning, protecting and appeasing him. IMHO he dominates with passive aggressive behavior. All just MOOO.

I agree. I don’t see her as domineering. From the outside looking in, my impression is she is either cowed or lovestruck.

If she as an accomplished woman wants to be married to a scoundrel, that’s her business BUT NOT WHEN A HUSBAND MURDERS YOUR CHILD.

If this isn’t a wake-up call for her, and it certainly doesn’t appear to be, then nothing will change in that household unless the courts step in and shut it all down.
That doesn’t appear to be happening, either.

IMO

 

[Tortoise]

I actually think we've seen a bit of game playing here.

I think ES almost certainly worked out that her texts show she was aware of the risks he took with the children's lives (dangers of - leaving them in a hot car, not supervising them, dui and speeding) and she also did not protect them.

I think her actions when they came to arrest CS - acting as if she had forgiven him, reasonable and amiable towards LE, then lying to the judge when she said it was not representative of him and bigging him up, are a play. I think she's saving arse, and we'll see her try to change the context of her messages if this goes to trial.

MOO

 

[stmarysmead]

ES graduated from med school in 2019. An Anesthesiology residency takes 4 years. So 2023-2024 is her first year of making a large ‘physician’s salary.’

They certainly could afford childcare at this point. The DM reports numerous vacations this year…with and without the children.

Girl, 2, dies in hot car after 'her father made terrible mistake'

Parker Scholtes, 2, died after she was left in a car outside her home in Tucson, Arizona, for at least half an hour by her father Chris Scholtes as the temperature climbed to 109F.

www.dailymail.co.uk

‘Erika and Chris took frequent holidays in the past year - posting about their adventures on social media.

They went skiing in Banff in February, with their older daughters in tow, and took a beach holiday to Cancun in March with the whole family.

The couple also traveled through Europe in June, Seattle in October, and Sedona in June last year, just the two of them.’

Even though he repeatedly left the children In the car, and she knew it…once she started making a large salary and could afford to do so…she did not make alternative arrangements for the safety of the children

 

[mickey2942]

CS definitely cleans up well. I didn't even recognize him. Looks like he even has a job. LOL.

This guy had ONE job, to watch the kids while his wife was at work. He couldn't even manage this.

Arizona father pleads not guilty in daughter’s hot car death

A Marana man pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and child abuse charges after he left his toddler in a hot car last month.

www.azfamily.com

 

[LoveyG]

In my opinion, money and status. If this had been a low income family of color dad would have been in handcuffs and in jail from the start

For example, see the linked thread. Why is this family in jail for what appears to be a single episode of poor judgement vs CS who made a habit of putting his children at risk for his own convenience.

GA - Josiah Noel Seright, 3 1/2 months old, dies after being left in wet blanket next to air conditioner - Aug 7, 2024

https://www.wjbf.com/news/crime-news/washington-co-infant-dead-autopsy-scheduled/

www.websleuths.com

 

[snarast]

I'm not sure I see her as domineering. Very co-dependent, definitely. The family system is like a cult revolving around CS as the deity and his chaos. The bodycam videos were quite something. She gives life and death power over all to him. But he has it. And even when kids are removed or murdered, she doubles down on fawning, protecting and appeasing him. IMHO he dominates with passive aggressive behavior. Her mom is an active "acolyte" too, this is likely multi generational dysfunction. She can't seem to see that safety is the most important value, and focus should be on kids. Her drive is to protect and change this loser as if that is the route to a good family, even now she is unconscious of her cognitive errors. All just MOOO.

Domineering is not the right word - she’s the one in control and he behaves as if he’s a teenage son.

But then yes he does the ultimate passive agressive/histrionic thing - mea culpa and suicide watch.