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

[LifeIsAMystery]

Sadly, it’s too late now, but it really would have been better to hire a good child care provider and just let him be a stay at home dad for things like driving, housework, shopping, etc., or just being there as a supportive parent in the background.

Also if the mom had had a camera on the garage and driveway so she could check remotely if he was sticking to her directive to not leave them in the car.

It’s just so sad that the 2 girls now have a dead sister, a father headed to trial and incarceration, a grieving mother, and all the travel and fun spoiled. This case has really hit hard for me.

Much as I hate to say it, with her money for lawyers and effective pleas for him, I am not convinced he WILL serve time. Often in these cases, parents do not.

 

[NuttMegg]

SBM
I fear his anger at the kids for ratting him out to cops as gaming. I fear neither parent is guaranteed to follow the order re: him not being alone with kids. The whole situation seems so tense and unstable, I fear what may happen next. The father dominates the dynamic and the mother focuses on him not the welfare of the kids in an effective way. I imagine those kids feel deeply unsafe. The dynamics have not changed but intensified in this scenario, IMHO.

So the hearing will be in August?

Anyway, the mother's presentation in court...it was a big mistake... not who he is. Now they will have the funeral (tomorrow?). One concern will be that the girls' account will be polished and molded, because of the way his actions were presented...distracted, often left in car, etc.

Those kids should be in therapy, not with both parents for a month, to have it spun how it was just a mistake. Imo

 

[LifeIsAMystery]

Iirc the trial will be in August? Where did I read that. Maybe he will plead.

Anyway, the mother's presentation in court...it was a big mistake... not who he is. Now they will have the funeral (tomorrow?). One concern will be that the girls' account will be polished and molded, because of the way his actions were presented...distracted, often left in car, etc.

Those kids should be in therapy, not with both parents for a month, to have it spun how it was just a mistake. Imo

It's just a hearing, not a trial.

Agree re: the pressure that may be placed on those young, grieving kids. Smh.

 

[NuttMegg]

It's just a hearing, not a trial.

Agree re: the pressure that may be placed on those young, grieving kids. Smh.

Thanks, I had time to edit out the trial part.

 

[SMK777]

I hear what you’re saying, but, my God, if you have to have a nanny cam to make sure a stay-at-home dad isn’t doing something that would cause complete strangers to call 911…it just seems like he might as well not be staying at home? Idk. It’s just a low, low bar.

I mean. Paired with all the oblique references to him staying at home so that his wages won’t be garnished? I feel like that in itself would be such a red flag in someone I were casually seeing, how did his wife think that was marriage and family material? Never mind it getting to the point where she is probably bringing home a third of a million a year, and the idea of opening up his wallet is still that offensive???

Yeah, I do see your point, definitely.

 

[SMK777]

Much as I hate to say it, with her money for lawyers and effective pleas for him, I am not convinced he WILL serve time. Often in these cases, parents do not.

True. It does seem that he will likely be charged with some form of negligence at least, but I have no idea how that translates into jail time. But yes, she will have the money for attorneys, for sure.
ETA: Or was he already charged with 2nd degree homicide? Oh, just read that charges of 2nd degree murder and child abuse may be formally announced at the Aug 1 preliminary hearing.

'I killed our baby': Arizona dad distracted by video games leaves daughter in hot car: Docs

Christopher Scholtes was putting groceries away and playing video games after leaving the toddler in the car for hours amid triple-digit temperatures, records show.

www.usatoday.com

 

[NuttMegg]

Could CS plead out at the pre-trial hearing, once learning the charges?

 

[abyquinn]

Could CS plead out at the pre-trial hearing, once learning the charges?

Only if the state offers him a deal. As angry as everyone is about this and the 4 mo old on the boat (still no charges to my knowledge). I’ll be surprised if they offer him much. Maybe 25 yrs w parole vs 25 to Life w/o parole.

He knows the charges currently, Murder 2 & child abuse/domestic violence resulting in death IIRC He pleaded not guilty on 7/12.

 

[Arkay]

It sounds like he forgot the child, the child died, and he made up the story of having the ac on. investigators will find out.

It could be, but I don’t think he forgot that baby. He absolutely, conscientiously, neglected her.

To me it seems that he used his car, engine and AC running, as some sort of horrific playpen. A nine-year old could easily get out of the car, but I assume was warned by the dad not to, or conversely was so accustomed to it that she didn’t think anything of it by that point.

To entrap his toddler in that vehicle in that blazing heat is negligent homicide, IMO.

He wasn’t really a stay-at-home “father.” He was a stay-at-home wastrel whose three children were a burden on his gaming and other recreation.

We know from the mother’s text and the older children’s stories that this was an ongoing practice of his.

My wish is prison for him, the mother to file for divorce, and to then hire someone responsible to get her kids home from school and supervise the toddler.

JMO

 

[mickey2942]

Much as I hate to say it, with her money for lawyers and effective pleas for him, I am not convinced he WILL serve time. Often in these cases, parents do not.

I agree. He may not even be charged. Depending on his wife. I believe that if she sticks by him, this will be dropped. That seems to be the deciding factor, the support of the other parent. Looks like August 1, 2024 is the hearing date.

Arizona dad of 2-year-old who died in hot car was distracted by video game, often left kids in car

Christopher Scholtes’ two other children said he “left all three children alone in vehicle regularly” and “got distracted by playing his game” when their sister was in the car.

www.nbcnews.com

 

[ChatteringBirds]

I was married back when, no way either of us would dare to use that tone

If someone neglected one of the children multiple times in the same way and it led to a death?

The mother is also a victim, yet anything she says, does, or how she says it, is being scrutinized. She had, minutes before that text, been doing CPR on her lifeless tiny child.

 

[Charlot123]

Yes, a lot of newer model cars can be started via remote to either warm up the engine when it is cold out or to turn on the AC or the heater. My daughter’s car is a 2019 or 2020. She doesn’t have to actually go out to the car to start it. it also won’t drive unless she has the key in the car, so you can warm it up without worrying about someone stealing it (or for ppl who use their car to babysit, the kids can’t drive off with it).

I have been thinking, every year 40-50 kids are left in hot cars. Is there a way to change a car/car seat configuration so that a siren starts if you leave the kid in the car alone? Something like it? Because obviously, we can’t rely on humans?

 

[BrownRice]

I have been thinking, every year 40-50 kids are left in hot cars. Is there a way to change a car/car seat configuration so that a siren starts if you leave the kid in the car alone? Something like it? Because obviously, we can’t rely on humans?

There already is technology. I get an alert on my dashboard with a light up display of the seat that has weight on it when the car is turned off. My car is a 2019. I assume by the end of this decade it will be standard.

In this case, unfortunately, it wouldn’t have mattered since he purposefully left her there. And, he said he typically would receive an alert if his car turned off when she was in it, and he didn’t this time ( also said he got home 2 hrs later than he did, also said he checked on her and video shows he didn’t). So who knows if his car usually sent this type of notification.

 

[Charlot123]

I'm not saying that the mother has no duty of care to her kids, not at all.

But I am concerned that this woman is the sole breadwinner, is by her own admission barely home, barely sees her kids, is likely overworked, has repeatedly admonished him for this behaviour... and we're criticising HER behaviour. I worry about the gendered implications of that.

MOO

Add to it that she had to carry three kids to term, give birth to them, care for them for some time plus probably finish her residency…I think she is very tired.

 

[NuttMegg]

If someone neglected one of the children multiple times in the same way and it led to a death?

The mother is also a victim, yet anything she says, does, or how she says it, is being scrutinized. She had, minutes before that text, been doing CPR on her lifeless tiny child.

I think it's clear from my post, and my previous posts, that I am victim oriented.
I was referring to the dynamics leading to the tragedy. Not to the day itself. Her texts on that day were not stand alone, they revealed the ongoing irresponsible actions of CS that required her to have to deal with him as another child, adding to the load she was already bearing as breadwinner.

 

[LifeIsAMystery]

Much as I hate to say it, with her money for lawyers and effective pleas for him, I am not convinced he WILL serve time. Often in these cases, parents do not.

Exactly.

IMM both parents failed to protect their children and now one has tragically died. To me, that child is the focus, not the relationship of the parents.

If a paid 3rd party had repeatedly done the same, the parent with knowledge would be viewed as having failed to protect. If authorities don't provide accountability, seems like even more chance of more of these tragedies.

Imagine another homicide case where the perp is released back into the home to possibly pressure witnesses in an ongoing case?

RIP Parker. You deserved better. The gram isn't what counts or the matchy outfits, your safety and well being should have mattered most. And if parents are "tired' or need to game, there was money for more help that could have been diverted from luxury cars and trips. Most poor people, single parents and teen parents manage to not kill their child, nor to flirt with putting it in danger over and over to play games or wind up the other parent or use as an excuse to not pay CS, so, I don't buy holding these people to a different standard. JMOO. My heart goes out to Parker and her sisters.

Repeated risk taking and enabling are not part of healthy parenting nor healthy households IMHO. His ignoring so many court orders does not bode well for his obeying this one re: remaining kids and mom has a longstanding failure to protect. I would not be surprised if the kids feel more responsible than either parent and they may also have survivor's guilt.

 

[SMK777]

Could CS plead out at the pre-trial hearing, once learning the charges?

If his wife hires a power attorney or powerful legal team of experts, who can negotiate a plea deal arguing for lesser charges, possibly, yes. As his wife is a doctor with money and connections, sadly it’s far more likely than with someone with very limited resources. Should not be that way, but it is.

 

[SMK777]

I have been thinking, every year 40-50 kids are left in hot cars. Is there a way to change a car/car seat configuration so that a siren starts if you leave the kid in the car alone? Something like it? Because obviously, we can’t rely on humans?

It seems necessary at this point in time.

 

[LifeIsAMystery]

If his wife hires a power attorney who is able to negotiate a plea deal on lesser charges, possibly, yes. As his wife is a doctor with money and connections, sadly it’s far more likely than someone with very limited resources. Should not be that way, but it is.

Parents often have charges downgraded or dismissed in these cases. Who kills you should not matter but that is the pattern. Even non-wealthy non-connected parents. If a daycare worker did the same, never mind had this repeated PATTERN, parents and the community would and do seem to react differently. No different in outcome for the poor child though.

 

[SMK777]

Parents often have charges downgraded or dismissed in these cases. Who kills you should not matter but that is the pattern. Even non-wealthy non-connected parents. If a daycare worker did the same, never mind had this repeated PATTERN, parents and the community would and do seem to react differently. No different in outcome for the poor child though.

Yes, recall the recent case where a 2 month old baby girl in Santee, California, was left by her adoptive gay dads (or possibly a family member) in a car for NINE HOURS before being discovered deceased. It happened on June 13 and thus far I have seen no reports of any charges being filed against anyone.