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

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MsMarple said:
The interim complaint also shows Scholtes received text messages from his wife while their daughter was being transported to the hospital stating: “I told you to stop leaving them in the car, How many times have I told you”

He responded, “Babe, I’m sorry!” She then said “We’ve lost her, she was perfect,” and he responded by texting “Babe our family. How could I do this? I killed our baby, this can’t be real.”

Scholtes also told investigators he knew his vehicle had a safety feature that would turn off the engine after 30 minutes. He said he knew from previous experience.
www.kold.com

Document: Marana man may have been distracted by game when daughter died in hot car

37-year-old Christopher Scholtes was taken into custody early Friday, July 12, on charges of second-degree murder and child abuse.
www.kold.com www.kold.com
Click to expand...

it just gets worse and worse
throw the book at him IMO
 
MsMarple said:
The interim complaint also shows Scholtes received text messages from his wife while their daughter was being transported to the hospital stating: “I told you to stop leaving them in the car, How many times have I told you”

He responded, “Babe, I’m sorry!” She then said “We’ve lost her, she was perfect,” and he responded by texting “Babe our family. How could I do this? I killed our baby, this can’t be real.”

Scholtes also told investigators he knew his vehicle had a safety feature that would turn off the engine after 30 minutes. He said he knew from previous experience.
www.kold.com

Document: Marana man may have been distracted by game when daughter died in hot car

37-year-old Christopher Scholtes was taken into custody early Friday, July 12, on charges of second-degree murder and child abuse.
www.kold.com www.kold.com
Click to expand...
What an absolute manchild. "Babe, I'm sorry!" You didn't forget to feed the dog, you left your child to roast to death.
 
azure said:
What an absolute manchild. "Babe, I'm sorry!" You didn't forget to feed the dog, you left your child to roast to death.
Click to expand...
And the "How many times have I told you not to do it" from her blows my mind as well. Well, he did it - apparently, again (after how many times?) - and she knew this was his habit. I don't see how she ever shows her face in the hospital after this.
 
IMO: It's not the mother's fault that the father kept leaving the kids in the car. This is completely his fault and negligence. Even if she had left him over this one thing, he would have likely ended up with half custody and continued to do it.

Some people are so stubborn (maybe selfish sometimes?) they don't believe the risks of taking known chances with others' safety applies to them. "It will be fine."

So now we know why he was arrested so quickly.

I'm not feeling sorry for him anymore, knowing she had warned him multiple times not to do this.

And he tried to throw her under the bus, too, claiming she did it, too, but she didn't!

My current opinions only.
 
MsMarple said:
The vehicle was parked in direct sunlight.
…
According to the court documents, at no time between 12:53 p.m. and 4:08 p.m. is Scholtes seen on the security video going outside to the vehicle to check on the little girl.

www.12news.com

'I told you to stop leaving them in the car': AZ dad charged in toddler's hot car death often left children in car, records say

Christopher Scholtes is facing felony charges of domestic violence, second-degree murder and domestic violence-child abuse.
www.12news.com www.12news.com

The two older children told police the dad regularly left the children in the car. They said he got distracted by playing his game and putting food away.

On the way to the hospital that day his wife sent a text saying she told him to stop doing that. He answered “Sorry Babe.”
Click to expand...
this just proves this was a regular practice of dad's, and mom knew it. I can't get past the fact she's a dang doctor. and she knew. On the day of her daughter's death she cautioned him to stop doing it.

Sorry babe - indeed. :(
Mom is the breadwinner, dad is all the kids know per her own statement, and this was his regular practice. His older daughters say daddy gets distracted by his video game. How very sad.
 
Wow. This new info that was just released is mind-blowing to me. She had warned him via text not to do that anymore, including THAT day after she left for work?

This is absolutely the father's fault, however the mother clearly knew this was an on-going issue and that he was still doing it, despite her warnings. And yet, she continued to let him be the sole carer for the children.

Kind of makes one wonder why daycare, a professional nanny, or even a teenager off of school for summer break wasn't hired to either help out at home or be solely responsible for the children's care. They don't seem to be struggling financially, even with being a one income household. And he also has a degree (in biochemistry) He clearly wasn't enjoying being soley responsible for the children's care.
 
Last edited:
amandab said:
I know it's easy to lose the depth of feelings when texting, but the "Sorry, babe" from him feels SO nonchalant.
IMO
Click to expand...
I agree, it’s difficult to know the tone in a text, but in every way “Sorry, babe” strikes me as appropriate for maybe forgetting to take out the trash or something on that level.

Instead he trashed his daughter’s life. I would expect agony.

The mother apparently isn’t directly responsible this time, but I am 100% incredulous that she knew this was his ongoing practice and she merely verbally admonished him. No, Dr. Mom, if you knew about this there were a thousand other plans you could have made to ensure your children’s welfare.

JMO
 
Wow, those texts are damning (IMO)…did I read correctly that the older kids said he got distracted by a “game” and putting away food? He does NOT sound like someone who should have been left in charge of children, at the least.

Has anyone figured out if he ever had a career of his own? I know Mom is a doctor so she’s extremely busy and she is a victim here too— but this whole thing reeks of a man who never grew up past his early 20s and was enabled into behaving that way. Again, this is absolutely not any type of judgement towards anyone, just my projections based on my own background and the new information that was released. While I have never been one, I do believe that being a stay-at-home parent is one of the most important and difficult jobs that one can have— however, it seems like he wasn’t even able to adequately perform the duties of that job, down to the basic tasks (…like taking a baby out of the car once you get home).

MOO.
 
This isn't a "I told you to stop leaving the toilet seat up' thing. It was a purposeful act where a child's life was at risk. How many times did he do this and then get 'distracted' by video games etc. He is a lazy selfish man child and I hope he spends the rest of his life in prison. I can't wrap my head around why the Mother would want him out of custody. I would have found a divorce lawyer asap and his family could bail him out of jail. I wouldn't want him around my other kids and who cares if he doesn't go to the funeral. He lost that right when he killed his daughter.
 
This case is so emotional and confounding. Here are two well educated parents who failed to understand the gravity of leaving children in the car, in Arizona of all places.

Mom was aware of the father regularly leaving the children in the car [ETA I decided to delete a couple sentences here].

Still, it was the father who caused the death of their daughter. It’s mind boggling that he knew the car would shut off after 30 minutes, he knew it was an extremely hot day (there was an extreme heat warning issued that day) and he knew his wife told him to stop doing it.

From yet another link:

According to court documents, the temperature was 109 degrees at the time of the call, according to the document. The vehicle was parked in direct sunlight with the car seat on the driver’s side of the vehicle, which was a west-facing window. Scholtes knew that he had left his 2-year-old daughter in the vehicle.

Scholtes told investigators he usually parked the vehicle in a garage but didn’t on July 9 because exercise equipment was in the way.

www.kold.com

Document: Marana man may have been distracted by game when daughter died in hot car

37-year-old Christopher Scholtes was taken into custody early Friday, July 12, on charges of second-degree murder and child abuse.
www.kold.com www.kold.com

I also believe (JMO) that the exercise equipment had been in the way for a while and the dad lied about usually parking in the garage, just as he lied about when he arrived home. He told police he had checked on the girl, another lie according to neighborhood camera footage.
 
Other Dau's at Home? Elec. Data. :)
Allabouttrial said:
From recent video:
Detectives are checking the girl's own iPad, they think it's GPS can help establish how long she was left in the car, what she was doing while in the car and if she was on her tablet or asleep.
Click to expand...
sbm @Allabouttrial Thx for your post.
When Father returned home from errands that day, who was w him?
- Toddler only?
If so, had he dropped off other 2 elsewhere? OR if so, had he left other 2 at home by themselves? How old? Grade school? No sleuthing pls
OR w supervision?

- Toddler PLUS one or both other dau's?
If one of the two dau's said - Daddy played video when we came home that day then (if truthful) one or both could have actual knowledge of his actions that day.

OTOH, if Father had dropped both off and come home w toddler ONLY, then seems one dau or both dau's must have referred to Father having done this on OTHER occasions. Maybe frequently, maybe “only a few” times (which would have been too many).

- Or possibly FRIEND not yet mentioned in MSM of this thread?

If anyone has link(s) or quotes handy to answer these Q’s, I’d be grateful. I tried to backtrack but did not nail the info.

Awful death, but also awful to think about young children in this situation and potentially testifying.

Anyhoo, seems w cell phones, iPads, car telematics, gaming gizmos, PCs, etc., LE can analyze digital/electronic DATA that tells timing & DETAILS of Father’s actions sufficient for the appropriate CRIM prosecution.
jmo
 
MsMarple said:
This case is so emotional and confounding. Here are two well educated parents who failed to understand the gravity of leaving children in the car, in Arizona of all places.

Mom was aware of the father regularly leaving the children in the car [ETA I decided to delete a couple sentences here].

Still, it was the father who caused the death of their daughter. It’s mind boggling that he knew the car would shut off after 30 minutes, he knew it was an extremely hot day (there was an extreme heat warning issued that day) and he knew his wife told him to stop doing it.

From yet another link:

According to court documents, the temperature was 109 degrees at the time of the call, according to the document. The vehicle was parked in direct sunlight with the car seat on the driver’s side of the vehicle, which was a west-facing window. Scholtes knew that he had left his 2-year-old daughter in the vehicle.

Scholtes told investigators he usually parked the vehicle in a garage but didn’t on July 9 because exercise equipment was in the way.

www.kold.com

Document: Marana man may have been distracted by game when daughter died in hot car

37-year-old Christopher Scholtes was taken into custody early Friday, July 12, on charges of second-degree murder and child abuse.
www.kold.com www.kold.com

I also believe (JMO) that the exercise equipment had been in the way for a while and the dad lied about usually parking in the garage, just as he lied about when he arrived home. He told police he had checked on the girl, another lie according to neighborhood camera footage.
Click to expand...
I remain infuriated, and, as a former SAHM myself, I'm insulted! The lack of responsibility is staggering.

Even if the child wasn't kept in the car, three hours without hearing from a 2-yo in your care is a LONG TIME! Even if she were in her air-conditioned bedroom, you'd check on her before three hours had passed.

He didn't even bother to check or wonder if his child was okay. She was his responsibility, and it doesn't look like he even thought of her.

jmo
 
al66pine said:
Other Dau's at Home? Elec. Data. :)

sbm @Allabouttrial Thx for your post.
When Father returned home from errands that day, who was w him?
- Toddler only?
If so, had he dropped off other 2 elsewhere? OR if so, had he left other 2 at home by themselves? How old? Grade school? No sleuthing pls
OR w supervision?

- Toddler PLUS one or both other dau's?
If one of the two dau's said - Daddy played video when we came home that day then (if truthful) one or both could have actual knowledge of his actions that day.

OTOH, if Father had dropped both off and come home w toddler ONLY, then seems one dau or both dau's must have referred to Father having done this on OTHER occasions. Maybe frequently, maybe “only a few” times (which would have been too many).

- Or possibly FRIEND not yet mentioned in MSM of this thread?

If anyone has link(s) or quotes handy to answer these Q’s, I’d be grateful. I tried to backtrack but did not nail the info.

Awful death, but also awful to think about young children in this situation and potentially testifying.

Anyhoo, seems w cell phones, iPads, car telematics, gaming gizmos, PCs, etc., LE can analyze digital/electronic DATA that tells timing & DETAILS of Father’s actions sufficient for the appropriate CRIM prosecution.
jmo
Click to expand...
Detectives obtained security video that showed Scholtes arriving home and parking in his driveway at 12:53 p.m. Scholtes went inside the family's home joined by the child's two siblings, aged 5 and 9.
www.12news.com

'I told you to stop leaving them in the car': AZ dad charged in toddler's hot car death often left children in car, records say

Christopher Scholtes is facing felony charges of domestic violence, second-degree murder and domestic violence-child abuse.
www.12news.com www.12news.com
 
ChatteringBirds said:
IMO: It's not the mother's fault that the father kept leaving the kids in the car. This is completely his fault and negligence. Even if she had left him over this one thing, he would have likely ended up with half custody and continued to do it.

Some people are so stubborn (maybe selfish sometimes?) they don't believe the risks of taking known chances with others' safety applies to them. "It will be fine."

So now we know why he was arrested so quickly.

I'm not feeling sorry for him anymore, knowing she had warned him multiple times not to do this.

And he tried to throw her under the bus, too, claiming she did it, too, but she didn't!

My current opinions only.
Click to expand...
He was quick with the lies, and multiple ones trying to absolve himself of responsibility. It's not mom's fault that he left her in the car. But, IMO, knowing that he did that, how dangerous it is, and likely knowing children have died from being left in cars during hot weather, she doesn't get an automatic pass from me.

I am sure she feels absolutely horrible by the events that happened. She may have even inquired earlier in the day and he "lied" and told her he had already gotten her out of the car. I don't think she needs to be arrested. But I do think that he should have 24/7 access to his children, regardless of her also being in the home.
 
MsMarple said:
Detectives obtained security video that showed Scholtes arriving home and parking in his driveway at 12:53 p.m. Scholtes went inside the family's home joined by the child's two siblings, aged 5 and 9.
www.12news.com

'I told you to stop leaving them in the car': AZ dad charged in toddler's hot car death often left children in car, records say

Christopher Scholtes is facing felony charges of domestic violence, second-degree murder and domestic violence-child abuse.
www.12news.com www.12news.com
Click to expand...
Oh I just figured the other kids weren't there! Daam.

So, he was so engrossed in what he was doing that he wasn't looking after the other two either?! That's my assumption because if he was up and about taking care of their needs then surely he would have thought to check on his 2 yr. old.
 
Ladyotm said:
He was quick with the lies, and multiple ones trying to absolve himself of responsibility. It's not mom's fault that he left her in the car. But, IMO, knowing that he did that, how dangerous it is, and likely knowing children have died from being left in cars during hot weather, she doesn't get an automatic pass from me.

I am sure she feels absolutely horrible by the events that happened. She may have even inquired earlier in the day and he "lied" and told her he had already gotten her out of the car. I don't think she needs to be arrested. But I do think that he should have 24/7 access to his children, regardless of her also being in the home.
Click to expand...
She obviously trusted him so if he told her he wasn't doing it anymore then what else was she to do other than believe him?
 
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