GUILTY Arizona girl, 2, left in car by father on 109-degree day and is found dead #2 (guilty plea, father found dead 5 November 2025 before sentencing)

[NuttMegg]

IANAL and not familiar with AZ law so this is just my thoughts, hoping one of our verified attorneys might weight in.

I think the judge made sure the sentencing hearing was still on to give both sides a chance to prepare arguments about the "what next" of all of this mess. My google research was less than satisfactory and I don't have time today to try to deep dive AZ law to find specifics of that state.

By him entering the guilty plea and the court accepting it, he was essentially convicted of the crimes he plead guilty to, even though sentencing had yet to take place. Those are two different animals, conviction and sentencing. There are no take backsies from what I understand. but with the defendant now dead, whether or not his conviction is overturned is a mystery to me. Had CS been convicted and died pending appeal, his conviction would be automatically overturned I think (ala Aaron Hernandez). But that isn't the case here. I mean, on the one hand, sentencing would tie things up with a nice neat bow. but you cannot really sentence a dead man to anything.

The answers to "what next" may directly adversely affect his surviving wife and children, particularly in light of the civil suit filed on behalf of his eldest daughter. Her civil case would most surely be bolster by being able to introduce evidence of his criminal conviction for similar abuse/neglect as is being alleged in her suit. If she wins her suit, if could adversely affect her younger siblings financially and their mother's ability to support them.

I am really angry at CS, once again, he escapes accountability, Peter Pan forever, while all of those around him are left holding the proverbial bag of he left behind.

That suit is for only 50k. I don't see how there will be anything left for the daughter unless there is a provision that atty fees are paid if she wins. I have complete sympathy with her, but that suit contains a spectrum of not well defined charges (imo). If the charges weren't accepted the first time around, what additional proof could surface now? (I believe her, but who am l?)

I would think she could have found out if anyone, cs or anyone else, was receiving SSI funds in her name (?) Unless a "conservator" situation would be closed to access by her/her guardian.

 

[NuttMegg]

I was thinking last night, that guy was such a PO s that aside from endangering the children repeatedly, he would even threaten his wife's professional reputation by shoplifting alcohol. His own meal ticket. He didn't care about anything, he was checked out 100%.

 

[tillytatler]

I do hope that E makes up with her mum now that C is out of the picture. She is going to need a lot of support and I do hope her and her daughters get it.

 

[Izzylizzy]

IANAL and not familiar with AZ law so this is just my thoughts, hoping one of our verified attorneys might weight in.

I think the judge made sure the sentencing hearing was still on to give both sides a chance to prepare arguments about the "what next" of all of this mess. My google research was less than satisfactory and I don't have time today to try to deep dive AZ law to find specifics of that state.

By him entering the guilty plea and the court accepting it, he was essentially convicted of the crimes he plead guilty to, even though sentencing had yet to take place. Those are two different animals, conviction and sentencing. There are no take backsies from what I understand. but with the defendant now dead, whether or not his conviction is overturned is a mystery to me. Had CS been convicted and died pending appeal, his conviction would be automatically overturned I think (ala Aaron Hernandez). But that isn't the case here. I mean, on the one hand, sentencing would tie things up with a nice neat bow. but you cannot really sentence a dead man to anything.

The answers to "what next" may directly adversely affect his surviving wife and children, particularly in light of the civil suit filed on behalf of his eldest daughter. Her civil case would most surely be bolster by being able to introduce evidence of his criminal conviction for similar abuse/neglect as is being alleged in her suit. If she wins her suit, if could adversely affect her younger siblings financially and their mother's ability to support them.

I am really angry at CS, once again, he escapes accountability, Peter Pan forever, while all of those around him are left holding the proverbial bag of he left behind.

Massachusetts did away with the old law that upon appeal, which AH's conviction was on, that since he died he would be innocent,.

Court reinstates late Aaron Hernandez's murder conviction

BOSTON (AP) — Aaron Hernandez's murder conviction was reinstated Wednesday in a sweeping ruling from Massachusetts' highest court that does away with the legal principle that made the former NFL star innocent in the eyes of the law after he killed himself in prison.

apnews.com

 

[Izzylizzy]

Hot-Car Murder Case Ends in Tragedy: Father Found Dead Before Sentencing + Crime Updates​

 

[Izzylizzy]

As I understand it it was as a result of ES lauding him in court and imploring them to allow him home that he wasn’t in custody.

@ 8:35 "Thar she blows!"
imo

 

[theonewithallthequestions]

I haven’t followed this case and I’m sure this dad was negligent, deserved to pay for his crimes, but some of the comments in this thread are pretty disturbing. This whole case is extremely tragic

 

[iamshadow21]

I haven’t followed this case and I’m sure this dad was negligent, deserved to pay for his crimes, but some of the comments in this thread are pretty disturbing. This whole case is extremely tragic

He wasn't just negligent, this was absolutely a death resulting after a decade of abusing his kids. He killed her just as callously as if he'd beaten her. Worse, because a beating might have rendered her unconscious suddenly, whereas we know from the file dump that she was probably conscious and suffering for a while, due to hand smudges all over her window.

Much like the accidental drowning of a toddler can't be compared to a toddler killed by being thrown in a pool over and over to force them to 'swim' by a parent, this case cannot be categorised with other hot car deaths that come about because of a child being forgotten about by otherwise loving, caring parents.

MOO

 

[Izzylizzy]

@13:15 the Puma County's Attorney's office speaks directly to the girls who lost their father, something Lauren said she has never seen before.
I find her presser ludicrous and offensive, who the hell is she?
Brings God in? OMG

Lauren also said that Parker had been referred to as a boy.

The attorney also said she died last July.
Huh..last July was 2025 and Parker was killed in July 2024.

She doesn't refer to "Parker" by name, instead"the 2 yr old baby girl"."baby girl" "this baby girl" "this little girls older sisters"
imo

 

[tlcya]

I haven’t followed this case and I’m sure this dad was negligent, deserved to pay for his crimes, but some of the comments in this thread are pretty disturbing. This whole case is extremely tragic

this crime was pretty disturbing. The behaviors of certain adults around the accused were pretty disturbing. MOO

 

[Izzylizzy]

A reminder:
Erika Scholtes is an anesthesiologist.
imo

 

[NuttMegg]

I haven’t followed this case and I’m sure this dad was negligent, deserved to pay for his crimes, but some of the comments in this thread are pretty disturbing. This whole case is extremely tragic

I thought so too, why are ppl piling on this poor guy. I had read about the case when it first happened, then I started monitoring it when the first plea deal was turned down.

I even posted here.....that I didn't see "1st deg"

Then,

I read the 200 p document from LE of the accounts by neighbors and family of his dangerous antics, child endangerment and lies over the last 10 years. Here on the thread about a week ago, easy to find.

Did you know that the bottom half of the inside of the car window by Parker's car seat was covered with hand prints and smudged fingerprints? But none of the other windows had similar?

That's what SHE was doing - trying to get out to the best of her 2 yr old dying capabilities - while he was doing play station.

Oh, and during LE tests her car seat reached 146 deg F. Or was it 149.

 

[PrairieWind]

IANAL, but conviction comes before sentencing (I'm sure you know this) in every case. So during that time in between guilty (whether you plead guilty or are found guilty by a judge or jury) and sentencing, you are already considered a convicted felon (if it's a felony.)

You included this quote: "Even though he had not been formally sentenced, with prison time a certainty, Scholtes was to appear in court to be taken into custody pending the formal sentencing." But that's as it should be, not unusual. It sounds like you're equating sentencing to convicting. True, he had not yet been formally sentenced, but he HAD been formally convicted. Which is why he was headed to sentencing, or should have been.

Did I just confuse things further lol? Sorry if so, I was trying to help but I'm never the best explainer! But hope it helps and if not, hope it's not worse!

It will be interesting from a legal standpoint to see what happens. Since he died prior to sentencing, I'm not sure that conviction will stand since it is not final. But we will see. I am sure the judge is working out how this work and may use that hearing for input from counsel.

 

[steeltowngirl]

Sentencing is still listed on the court calendar for 11/21/25.
Unsure if that’s intentional, or simply has not yet been removed.

Court Calendar

www.sc.pima.gov

 

[abyquinn]

All that says is, and all I can find says, that he accepted the plea deal, not the court. A person can plead guilty but isn't formally convicted until the sentencing. The media uses that language incorrectly all the time.
I found this other article from ABC15, referred to in that article you linked, that says "Even though he had not been formally sentenced, with prison time a certainty, Scholtes was to appear in court to be taken into custody pending the formal sentencing."
Marana man who pleaded guilty in hot car death of 2-year-old girl dies ahead of sentencing
But everything has also been saying that the judge reaffirmed the sentencing date of the 21st. Can he even be sentenced when he's dead?

Has the judge reaffirmed the sentencing date since they knew he was dead? I thought she said the sentencing would still be held on 11/21 when they knew he didn’t show but before they found out he had died. C Nilander reporter for KVOA posted on X that Christopher was a no show around 930 saying his attorney seemed upset & someone from the court was emotional. Then a few minutes later posted a search of the ME’s office that showed Christopher was deceased.

 

[iamshadow21]

Sentencing is still listed on the court calendar for 11/21/25.
Unsure if that’s intentional, or simply has not yet been removed.

Court Calendar

www.sc.pima.gov

View attachment 623654

I think the prosecution is going to go hard to get the verdict and whatever would have come out at sentencing on record. This part of the press conference tells me that they're not letting go.

"This little girl's voice was nearly silenced because justice was not served appropriately this morning," Conover said. "But it has not and will not be silenced due to the hard work of the people who work here at the Pima County Attorney's Office."

Arizona dad who left his 2-year-old to die in hot car takes his own life on day of sentencing, official says

Christopher Scholtes, 38, pleaded guilty to murder charges after leaving his daughter in a hot car for about three hours when temperatures rose to 109 degrees.

www.nbcnews.com

MOO

 

[Simply Caustic]

I haven’t followed this case and I’m sure this dad was negligent, deserved to pay for his crimes, but some of the comments in this thread are pretty disturbing. This whole case is extremely tragic

I have been a WSer for a long time and once or twice, I’d select a thread I hadn’t followed but wanted to check-in on, and find a comment or two that was unexpected. Some seemingly cavalier, some sounding perhaps bloodthirsty, some gallows humor, etc. - it wasn’t until recent years (and my own self doing exactly what I previously didn’t understand) that I realized this was, imo, because those who’ve followed a thread/case religiously develop a milieu amongst themselves that is specific to each case, in my opinion only, to follow some of these horrific cases through the end, out of respect for the voiceless victim. Never has a comment struck me as unkind or unsupportive of the victim, of course.
Just my two cents.

 

[abyquinn]

It will be interesting from a legal standpoint to see what happens. Since he died prior to sentencing, I'm not sure that conviction will stand since it is not final. But we will see. I am sure the judge is working out how this work and may use that hearing for input from counsel.

His Guilty Plea was signed off by the State on 10/20 & accepted by the court on 10/22. It included his sentencing perimeters. I’m not sure I understand why the conviction wouldn’t stand now that he won’t be sentenced which was basically a formality.

 

[mickey2942]

I don't think anyone takes suicide lightly. We don't know much about CS's family, parents, siblings, extended family. I grieve for their loss and hope people will treat them with kindness.

On average, one suicide affects 135 other people, friends, siblings, acquaintances.

And if anyone feels hopeless or alone, help is always available.

988 Lifeline

At the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, we understand that life’s challenges can sometimes be difficult. Whether you’re facing mental health struggles, emotional distress, alcohol or drug use concerns…

988lifeline.org

 

[PrairieWind]

I think the prosecution is going to go hard to get the verdict and whatever would have come out at sentencing on record. This part of the press conference tells me that they're not letting go.

"This little girl's voice was nearly silenced because justice was not served appropriately this morning," Conover said. "But it has not and will not be silenced due to the hard work of the people who work here at the Pima County Attorney's Office."

Arizona dad who left his 2-year-old to die in hot car takes his own life on day of sentencing, official says

Christopher Scholtes, 38, pleaded guilty to murder charges after leaving his daughter in a hot car for about three hours when temperatures rose to 109 degrees.

www.nbcnews.com

MOO

Is there a reason to push to to keep the conviction? There are cases where some insurance funds may come into play one way or the other. I don't know if that is the case here. What difference does it make at this point?