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

[scapa]

It is simply unfathomable to me.

His reckless indifference to his child’s well-being led directly to her needless death. A slow and painful death, suffered by a two-year old who had no context for why she was feeling unwell at first. No context to grasp that the man who should have protected her instead willfully placed her in this furnace.

I grant that the mother has lost a child and is grieving. Yet I am completely flummoxed as to how her messages to CS, which absolutely disclose that she had knowledge of his child abuse, have gained ground with the judge in going so lightly on him.

Furthermore, I cannot conceive of how the mother is not partially culpable, as she has proven that she was aware of his speeding, drinking, and imprisoning and abandoning her own children and stepdaughter in cars.

My own flabbergasted opinion.

Agree -- shocking.

Definitely feels like the case is being piloted away from 1st-degree murder into Tragic Accident territory. Despite the growing evidence to the contrary. Very difficult to see equity in justice here -- especially given what we know of the testimony already provided by the surviving older daughters.

Have theft charges been filed?

 

[LifeIsAMystery]

Oh, I don’t know about indefinitely. I wouldn’t be surprised if he suddenly feels like working again once his oldest turns 18.

I was referring to the doctor on leave. But, you are may be right about CS. Time will tell. JMOOO.

 

[Angelcat13]

Just getting caught up on the latest happenings. I have no words about court yesterday.

Even putting his main crime aside, one has to wonder how drunk a person is/may be to go to a grocery store, (and presumably leave the child in the car there too) NOT purchase beer there, but to then go to a gas station, grab a case of beer, take it to the men's room, then come out, beer in hand and just walk out without paying. This doesn't seem like your typical "I'm just not going to pay for this" theft situation. Seems more like the actions of someone who was already drunk.......and driving around with their child(ren?) in the car.

His brazeness casually walking into a restroom to drink a few beers seems to indicate IMO that this was not his first time doing this.

 

[LifeIsAMystery]

Agree -- shocking.

Definitely feels like the case is being piloted away from 1st-degree murder into Tragic Accident territory. Despite the growing evidence to the contrary. Very difficult to see equity in justice here -- especially given what we know of the testimony already provided by the surviving older daughters.

Have theft charges been filed?

I did not see that on the docket.

What was different here, IMHO, was the grand jury upping the charges and indicting him for first degree murder. child abuse and DV. And their having done so seems to have made no difference at all re: conditions, etc. It's confusing to me, imagine it's confusing to the surviving kids, too. JMOOO.

 

[BrownRice]

If he has an order for Child Support against him it doesn’t disappear once the child turns 18. The account continues to grow, adding interest every month. It will stay there indefinitely, and it can be activated at any time.

I believe the oldest child’s mother passed away earlier this year? A couple months after child moved out of Erika and Chris’ house? Or am I off in dates?

 

[abyquinn]

I worry he may not serve any time, JMOOO. Wonder how the young kids who "told" on him to LE repeatedly are being treated? He really cleaned up well for court, even took out the lip jewelry. MHOO.

The wife's speech and $$$ for a lawyer really carried the day. Value to family? He earns no income and can't even purport to "provide child care." He witness tampers with the little girls and by court order cannot be alone with them. That order itself is impractical in a small home with young kids. It's really all the emotional plea of the wife. Her not working indefinitely seems impractical. When GJ raised charges I really thought it might matter. They heard the evidence, the hearing yesterday and bond hearing were both under 5 min. RIP Parker. Not even any ongoing alcohol monitoring, smh. JMOOO.

I need to find out how this works. The state originally charged 2nd degree & child abuse, this was sent to the Grand Jury which took his older daughter’s statement and the text messages into account and changed the charge to 1st degree murder & child abuse. He pleaded not guilty which is no surprise but he can’t just make the 1st degree charge disappear by pleading guilty or no contest to Manslaughter or 2nd degree, can he? If that is the way it works, why use the Grand Jury? I’m confused.

 

[LifeIsAMystery]

His brazeness casually walking into a restroom to drink a few beers seems to indicate IMO that this was not his first time doing this.

I think it was less that he was drunk that he did not buy beer at grocery store. Shoplifting it at the gas station would leave no record/receipt for ES, perhaps. Had Parker not tragically died, no one would have been looking at the CCTV.

Feels like LE and GJ have done a good job but it has made no difference. JMOOO. Had the removal of the oldest been raised at the bond hearing, may have been a different outcome. MOOO.

I don't see how grieving kids can process trauma and move on when they feel fundamentally unsafe and pressured (re: younger 2) and re-traumatized by these facts and loss of other parent and voice not mattering (oldest). JMHO.

 

[LifeIsAMystery]

I believe the oldest child’s mother passed away earlier this year? A couple months after child moved out of Erika and Chris’ house? Or am I off in dates?

She passed away recently but the child was removed from CS & ES several years ago, by the state.

Here is her interview with local AZ media.

 

[abyquinn]

I believe the oldest child’s mother passed away earlier this year? A couple months after child moved out of Erika and Chris’ house? Or am I off in dates?

I saw that 16’s mother passed away in May. CS found out about her when she was 5. After this there was a custody suit. CS & ES took custody which lasted for 4 years. She said he left her in the car before age 7. Doing the math, she was 6 when he started leaving her in the car, 4 years later, she was at least 10 before she was finally removed. She had been back with her mother for sometime before she passed.

 

[mickey2942]

I need to find out how this works. The state originally charged 2nd degree & child abuse, this was sent to the Grand Jury which took his older daughter’s statement and the text messages into account and changed the charge to 1st degree murder & child abuse. He pleaded not guilty which is no surprise but he can’t just make the 1st degree charge disappear by pleading guilty or no contest to Manslaughter or 2nd degree, can he? If that is the way it works, why use the Grand Jury? I’m confused.

INMO, I think that passing the case to the grand jury was a way of the DA, passing the buck. I think that the expectation was no charges. I could be wrong. Now, with first degree murder charge, I don't see how this can just be dismissed.

I don't know, will the family fight this? Or just take a plea? CS does actually have a significant history with traffic citations. While this has nothing to do with leaving a child in a car, it demonstrates a certain attitude. Frustration with following rules.

 

[Herat]

ES cannot tolerate the publicity of a trial. It would threaten to expose her lack of action to prevent the abuse and would threaten her career.

A plea is obvious and I think she will move the family to a different city, possibly even a different state.

If ES couldn't stand the "loss" of him for the older children, wouldn't it be even more disruptive to have to take them to prison to visit him there? Because of this, I expect a vigorous fight to keep him out of prison. An expensive vigorous fight and an expectation that he will remain with the family. I would have to think he could not be allowed to be responsible for child care, at a minimum.

Probably that would suit him just fine.

 

[LifeIsAMystery]

The FC records are not public, but I have seen IRL where a mom files for support and then the dad files for sole custody and so the mom has to pay HIM support as a scorched earth retaliation tactic. It can be a winning tactic, esp if the dad is married "intact home" and has money for a lawyer and mom does not. Given his years of non-payment, non-attendance of hearings, civil arrest orders issued by the court, then the child being removed by the state, not sure that any aspersions can rightly be cast on the mom who has passed, some in the thread have wondered. We see what kind of person CS is. The teen said he worked back then, she may have said in a call center? can't remember that detail from video linked upthread, and that he left her in the car in the parking lot. So, no idea why he has had years of non-work and assets not in his name, but, some do those things to avoid financial support. JMOO. Glad the girl has now been taken in by a friend's family and that mom seems very supportive, she was in the interview linked upthread. I think she may have older siblings too. Wish all of the surviving girls all the best and may sweet Parker RIP.

 

[Herat]

The FC records are not public, but I have seen IRL where a mom files for support and then the dad files for sole custody and so the mom has to pay HIM support as a scorched earth retaliation tactic. It can be a winning tactic, esp if the dad is married "intact home" and has money for a lawyer and mom does not. Given his years of non-payment, non-attendance of hearings, civil arrest orders issued by the court, then the child being removed by the state, not sure that any aspersions can rightly be cast on the mom who has passed. We see what kind of person CS is. The teen said he worked back then and left her in the car in the parking lot. So, no idea why he has had years of non-work and assets not in his name, but, some do those things to avoid financial support. JMOO. Glad the girl has now been taken in by a friend's family and that mom seems very supportive, she was in the interview linked upthread. I think she may have older siblings too. Wish all of the surviving girls all the best and may sweet Parker RIP.

Are you saying that he deliberately left the older child in his car while he was working? As in this was his idea of child care and ES went along with that?

Wouldn't the older of ES's children also have been born at that time and been an infant while the older daughter was in his custody? What would the childcare arrangements been at that time? FMLA for the new baby but older daughter, the diabetic child, is shuttled around in the car parking lot?

 

[stmarysmead]

The FC records are not public, but I have seen IRL where a mom files for support and then the dad files for sole custody and so the mom has to pay HIM support as a scorched earth retaliation tactic. It can be a winning tactic, esp if the dad is married "intact home" and has money for a lawyer and mom does not. Given his years of non-payment, non-attendance of hearings, civil arrest orders issued by the court, then the child being removed by the state, not sure that any aspersions can rightly be cast on the mom who has passed, some in the thread have wondered. We see what kind of person CS is. The teen said he worked back then, she may have said in a call center? can't remember that detail from video linked upthread, and that he left her in the car in the parking lot. So, no idea why he has had years of non-work and assets not in his name, but, some do those things to avoid financial support. JMOO. Glad the girl has now been taken in by a friend's family and that mom seems very supportive, she was in the interview linked upthread. I think she may have older siblings too. Wish all of the surviving girls all the best and may sweet Parker RIP.

Reminds me a bit of the ‘treadmill-murder Dad’.

I don’t understand how he can be in the home with constant access to the two child witnesses who can establish this pattern of willful neglect.

 

[LifeIsAMystery]

Are you saying that he deliberately left the older child in his car while he was working? As in this was his idea of child care and ES went along with that?

Wouldn't the older of ES's children also have been born at that time and been an infant while the older daughter was in his custody? What would the childcare arrangements been at that time? FMLA for the new baby but older daughter, the diabetic child, is shuttled around in the car parking lot?

I merely conveyed what she said happened. An interview with her is linked upthread (video), have also seen a print version of it. No idea re: frequency or other childcare arrangements, what struck me was 1) how unsafe it was to leave a child in a car; 2) in a parking lot; and that 3) he had employment, unlike recent times. No idea what her age was or what the law is in AZ re: ages to leave a child alone. I have not seen anyone mention FML for either parent. Not sure that years ago unskilled work would have offered such a benefit. JMOOO.

 

[Charlot123]

I saw that 16’s mother passed away in May. CS found out about her when she was 5. After this there was a custody suit. CS & ES took custody which lasted for 4 years. She said he left her in the car before age 7. Doing the math, she was 6 when he started leaving her in the car, 4 years later, she was at least 10 before she was finally removed. She had been back with her mother for sometime before she passed.

Which brings up a point. ES was not a doctor, CS’s value was never too high as I can imagine, so who stood behind the decision? Why was an accidental dead considered better than the mom? Did CS or ES have influential families? It should have been about CS, so what about his family? Maybe his wife is not the only factor for such lenient attitude to him?

 

[LifeIsAMystery]

Reminds me a bit of the ‘treadmill-murder Dad’.

I don’t understand how he can be in the home with constant access to the two child witnesses who can establish this pattern of willful neglect.

Ah, yes, had forgotten, or blocked out, that one. But, have known people IRL who had dads try to do this, who were also gamers and un or under-employed. It was devastating to the moms and kids but seemed to work well for the gamers who earned CS for playing while kid was primarily in school. In the cases I know of, CS was not sought for years, perhaps to shield child, until there was a financial need, insulin for a T1 may have been such a new need well into childhood. JMOOO. From the family court docket there is a documented history of non-payment of support and flouting court orders so that multiple civil arrest warrants were issued for failure to appear at hearings. This was in the same county in AZ, not sure why that failure to appear record does not seem to factor in now?

I share your reaction re: the child witnesses. Imagine it is very stressful for them. At some point, under pressure, they may change stories, they are grief stricken little kids who must be worried about own safety. Sister removed, sister dead, they told and told, now, not safer and stress is higher. Bad situation re: how they understand the world to work, the power of their voices and that of big sis, how the world is "supposed to act" re: child safety, etc. Very odd and tense dynamic to grow up in. JMOOO. Safety is the bottom of Maslow's hierarchy of needs.

They seem to have been parentified to watch and report on CS's behavior, they deserve to get to be kids, IMHO, especially having suffered 2 big losses at such young ages. His body language did not seem to indicate grief and remorse as many parents do in these situations. How that will play out in family in years to come, hope the kids have some other support since parents have an intense dynamic. I suspect other families would distance, if they stay or move. Who would invite them over for a bbq, want to carpool with them, allow kids there for a sleepover, etc? JMOOO, the situation still does not have a floor. Goals seem to be keeping him out of prison, not healing and well being of remaining kids. MHOO.

 

[LifeIsAMystery]

Which brings up a point. ES was not a doctor, CS’s value was never too high as I can imagine, so who stood behind the decision? Why was an accidental dead considered better than the mom? Did CS or ES have influential families? It should have been about CS, so what about his family? Maybe his wife is not the only factor for such lenient attitude to him?

He had a 2 parent home, $ for lawyers and a higher HHI, she was in med school if not a resident. I suspect older child's mom had none of those attributes. She seems to have done a great job with a girl who suffered trauma upon trauma but who still values safeguarding her little sisters. Not sure we will learn more about either of the Scholtes' backgrounds, in any event I suspect this is heading to a plea deal. JMOOO.

 

[Herat]

Ah, yes, had forgotten, or blocked out, that one. But, have known people IRL who had dads try to do this, who were also gamers and un or under-employed. It was devastating to the moms and kids but seemed to work well for the gamers who earned CS for playing while kid was primarily in school. In the cases I know of, CS was not sought for years, perhaps to shield child, until there was a financial need, insulin for a T1 may have been such a new need well into childhood. JMOOO. From the family court docket there is a documented history of non-payment of support and flouting court orders so that multiple civil arrest warrants were issued for failure to appear at hearings. This was in the same county in AZ, not sure why that failure to appear record does not seem to factor in now?

I share your reaction re: the child witnesses. Imagine it is very stressful for them. At some point, under pressure, they may change stories, they are grief stricken little kids who must be worried about own safety. Sister removed, sister dead, they told and told, now, not safer and stress is higher. Bad situation re: how they understand the world to work, the power of their voices and that of big sis, how the world is "supposed to act" re: child safety, etc. Very odd and tense dynamic to grow up in. JMOOO. Safety is the bottom of Maslow's hierarchy of needs.

They seem to have been parentified to watch and report on CS's behavior, they deserve to get to be kids, IMHO, especially having suffered 2 big losses at such young ages. His body language did not seem to indicate grief and remorse as many parents do in these situations. How that will play out in family in years to come, hope the kids have some other support since parents have an intense dynamic. I suspect other families would distance, if they stay or move. Who would invite them over for a bbq, want to carpool with them, allow kids there for a sleepover, etc? JMOOO, the situation still does not have a floor. Goals seem to be keeping him out of prison, not healing and well being of remaining kids. MHOO.

THIS, THIS, THIS

The calculus on ES's side seems to be that he is better with them out of prison than him in prison away from the children.

The cynic in me says she would be better to have him in prison, then file for a divorce and be able to avoid alimony and obviate child custody and support.

But then, she would have to want to leave him. It would be great if she had a mother who could give her this tough advice and remind her she has a long life ahead of her and things change.

MOO, of course.

 

[Herat]

He had a 2 parent home, $ for lawyers and a higher HHI, she was in med school if not a resident. I suspect older child's mom had none of those attributes. She seems to have done a great job with a girl who suffered trauma upon trauma but who still values safeguarding her little sisters. Not sure we will learn more about either of the Scholtes' backgrounds, in any event I suspect this is heading to a plea deal. JMOOO.

Yeah, but will he be able to escape imprisonment for the murder and abuse?