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

[snarast]

This is a puzzler.

Certainly the sentence beginning "The report also includes an allegation" might equally attribute the abuse or the reporting of it to LS.

The syntax is certainly garbled but the position of the phrase by his father indicates (to me) that it is the report rather than the abuse attributed to LS.

So my guess is that LS is the reporter here, and the allegations of neglect (substantiated) and of neglect, physical abuse and SA were made by him and the claims themselves refer to CS.

The summary report is clearer (to me):

https://dcs.az.gov/sites/default/files/CF-NF-SummaryReport%20/Fatality-SummaryReport-PS_0.pdf

It’s probably garbled by Gemini or something.

Good thing for CS because it’s hard to take the document seriously.

 

[LittleSeaTree]

Wait, it was child p..n he was watching??

 

[mickey2942]

Wait, it was child p..n he was watching??

I doubt it. That couldn't have been ignored.

 

[LittleSeaTree]

I doubt it. That couldn't have been ignored.

Ok, phew, it was mentioned on the live YouTube a bit ago, but must be wrong. Thank you!

 

[Normancita]

Fingers crossed but if the leniency shown Christopher by this Court including denying the $1M bond requested by the State, the lack of monitoring, moving to a different county during the pretrial period, living with two witnesses and a Hawaiian vacation! doesn’t give me much hope.

Where did he move?

 

[Charlot123]

It makes me very very worried that he is going to get a softball sentence.

I feel so, too.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

his wife is gorgeous, there will be guys around who will legitimately contribute to the family's coffers through marriage, should she divorce this creep.

I sincerely hope that Mom and girls get to experience a loving family life with 2 mature adults pulling the wagon so to speak

Why should his wife need a new man or any man? She could just focus on herself and her two living daughters now.

I am actually surprised that he pled guilty, after quite a bit of the evidence was ruled inadmissible. I wonder if there was something still admissible that he didn't want coming out at trial.

 

[Herat]

Where did he move?

The family moved from Marana in Pima County, AZ to Phoenix in Maricopa County, AZ

 

[abyquinn]

Where did he move?

They moved to Phoenix. I’m pretty sure they weren’t comfortable in the Marana neighborhood anymore with neighbors who spoke to reporters and some who said they called LE to fill them in on things they had seen & heard. Even the neighbor who kept the girls following them finding Parker in the car spoke out against him to a reporter.

I had a procedure done at Banner in March, I went into the hospital prepared to decline having Erika as my anesthesiologist if need be. As it turned out a tall, young man with red hair walked in & introduced himself so I didn’t need to say anything. Dodged a bullet that day. No way am I the only one who feels this way. I’m sure she had no problem getting another job outside Tucson.

 

[abyquinn]

Why should his wife need a new man or any man? She could just focus on herself and her two living daughters now.

I am actually surprised that he pled guilty, after quite a bit of the evidence was ruled inadmissible. I wonder if there was something still admissible that he didn't want coming out at trial.

Possibly but I think the bottom line was Christopher didn’t want to die in prison. If he was convicted of Murder 1 his sentence was going to be 25 years to Life, the Child Abuse carried another 15 to 24, so about 17 on top of 25 (minimum). No time off for good behavior. 42 years minimum. This was a good deal for Christopher.

 

[abyquinn]

[QUOTE="Herat, post: 19581577, member:

>>She may received advice from her employer that they were getting complaints from people who refused to use her as their anesthesiologist, and her employer was finding she was not useful, threatening her job.<<

I wouldn't want MY life in her hands under anesthesia. She has, in my opinion, a criminal disregard for the lives and wellbeing of her own tiny dependent children. How can she be counted on to not have disregard for any human being? I wouldn't trust the life of my pet cactus with her, would you?

>>She may also realize he is always going to be a problem in their lives.<<

Frankly, SHE is the biggest problem in "their" lives. She could have done something sbout this long long ago. She's known since way back in the days of his (and her's) disregard for the life of her stepdaughter, Chris's first child. She defended him. Over and over. It makes me wonder about their coming together story. I hope his ex wife speaks up after he"s locked in his cage.
Then she did nothing more than whine at him for his deadly addictions and habits that endangered her daughter's lives over and over and over again. She never stepped in to protect her children. Thats abusive. She should be charged.

She showed signs of being deeply codependent and enabling at the same time. Her petting him while he's being arrested so shortly after roasting her daughter to death was nauseating and showed that he's just another child to her, a man baby with homicidal disregard for anyone but himself. She should be screened for addictions herself. And she shouldn't have people under anesthesia under any circumstances, at least not until she's been screened and had treatment herself and shows some degree of fitness.

[/QUOTE]
I don’t think there is an ex wife. Christopher was in a relationship with the mother of his daughter, but that ended before he knew about the pregnancy. He didn’t know he had a daughter until she was 4 or 5 years old. After paternity was determined they had joint custody until something happened and he was given full custody. That turned out to be a nightmare. After a period of about 2 years the daughter was returned to her mothers full custody - sadly her mother lost her battle with cancer and the girl chose to live with a friend and the friend’s mother, after her mother passed away.

 

[OneLove]

I don’t think there is an ex wife. Christopher was in a relationship with the mother of his daughter, but that ended before he knew about the pregnancy. He didn’t know he had a daughter until she was 4 or 5 years old. After paternity was determined they had joint custody until something happened and he was given full custody. That turned out to be a nightmare. After a period of about 2 years the daughter was returned to her mothers full custody - sadly her mother lost her battle with cancer and the girl chose to live with a friend and the friend’s mother, after her mother passed away.
[/QUOTE]
Oh gosh, thank you for this. I did not know any of the history of his first child. I'm so sorry for the hard times she had and do hope she's been able to rise above. I'll be sending her my best wishes for her highest good.

 

[Kittybunny]

I am thoroughly shocked he accepted the plea deal. I thought he would've thought with such a long guaranteed time in prison on the table, that it would be worth going for the chance at an acquittal or even lesser charge, however small that chance might have been. It makes me think maybe he does actually feel some appropriate remorse. I wonder if his attorney advised him to accept. I also wonder if a different (better) attorney would tell him to reject it.

Personally, I don’t believe he feels remorse at all. But he’s also apparently not that much of an idiot to take his chances. Anyone who has watched the remote body cam video of him that day, the whole disgusting display of total disregard for his dying daughter and utter self-absorption, as well as read any of the testimony of the previous Daughter knows that this guy was toast, his attorney knew it, and I think convinced him it was in his best interest to take a plea. I am sure the jury would have found him as despicable and unsympathetic as I have.

This is not your typical hot car death, not by a long shot. He repeatedly engaged in what amounts to Russian Roulette with his daughter’s lives. There is plenty of evidence of that that would have been admitted.

I have mixed feelings about the plea. I hoped to have all his misdeeds and bad behaviors brought to light and exposed, particularly so Erika could see and hear it in one fell swoop and she could realize what an absolute low-life loser she has chosen over her daughters and her own mother.

All I can say is I hope the judge doesn’t let him go off on another Hawaiian vacation before he starts serving time. Or that he doesn’t do a runner.

Oh and Erika? Once your hubby is locked up, make better choices.

 

[snarast]

Personally, I don’t believe he feels remorse at all. But he’s also apparently not that much of an idiot to take his chances. Anyone who has watched the remote body cam video of him that day, the whole disgusting display of total disregard for his dying daughter and utter self-absorption, as well as read any of the testimony of the previous Daughter knows that this guy was toast, his attorney knew it, and I think convinced him it was in his best interest to take a plea. I am sure the jury would have found him as despicable and unsympathetic as I have.

This is not your typical hot car death, not by a long shot. He repeatedly engaged in what amounts to Russian Roulette with his daughter’s lives. There is plenty of evidence of that that would have been admitted.

I have mixed feelings about the plea. I hoped to have all his misdeeds and bad behaviors brought to light and exposed, particularly so Erika could see and hear it in one fell swoop and she could realize what an absolute low-life loser she has chosen over her daughters and her own mother.

All I can say is I hope the judge doesn’t let him go off on another Hawaiian vacation before he starts serving time. Or that he doesn’t do a runner.

Oh and Erika? Once your hubby is locked up, make better choices.

She can certainly have her pick - this time it’d better be a responsible guy. Or if not - just don’t let your bad boys close to the kids. And try not to breed with men with a maturity level under 10.

This decision of CS’s to take the plea indicates his deficiencies are not in the intellectual area. Maybe without his ”meds” - which he seems to take at 10x the recommended dose - he’s going to become quite learned in prison.

IMHOO

 

[Vaderman]

Normally in these cases, I feel bad for the parent. The death of a child seems far worse of a punishment than anything a judge can dole out, and I seriously doubt most of the time, it's just a tragic mistake.

I don't have that sympathy for this punk. He needs to do some time.

 

[mickey2942]

I go back to the Maternal Grandmother who did a "Memorial" last summer for Parker.

Marana toddler remembered one year after hot car death

Chris Scholtes is charged with first-degree murder and child abuse.

www.kold.com

I wonder if that leveraged CS to take a plea? That is some major family division. If she was going to testify for the Prosecution, that would have been a definite hammer for CS's Defense. As a matter of fact, he may as well take a plea, because I really couldn't figure out who was going to testify for the Defense here.

Whereas, the prosecution probably had a list that could have easily gone on for a week. With LEO who showed up that day, the medical team, EMS, the LEO who arrested him, probably people for the vehicle on the safety of leaving kids in the car, on and on...

 

[NuttMegg]

Personally, I don’t believe he feels remorse at all. But he’s also apparently not that much of an idiot to take his chances. Anyone who has watched the remote body cam video of him that day, the whole disgusting display of total disregard for his dying daughter and utter self-absorption, as well as read any of the testimony of the previous Daughter knows that this guy was toast, his attorney knew it, and I think convinced him it was in his best interest to take a plea. I am sure the jury would have found him as despicable and unsympathetic as I have.

This is not your typical hot car death, not by a long shot. He repeatedly engaged in what amounts to Russian Roulette with his daughter’s lives. There is plenty of evidence of that that would have been admitted.

I have mixed feelings about the plea. I hoped to have all his misdeeds and bad behaviors brought to light and exposed, particularly so Erika could see and hear it in one fell swoop and she could realize what an absolute low-life loser she has chosen over her daughters and her own mother.

All I can say is I hope the judge doesn’t let him go off on another Hawaiian vacation before he starts serving time. Or that he doesn’t do a runner.

Oh and Erika? Once your hubby is locked up, make better choices.

A lot wouldn't have come out in court.

But now, media is completely free to report on everything so far disclosed ie , drinking shoplifting, the whole shebang. Yes they still would have been free to disclose that stuff, but they would have fallen back on what was presented in court. The treadmill baby murderer case in point, the victim's mother had to use social media to get the stories out of what the father had done. Media by far, imo, stick to filtered court testimony.

 

[Angelcat13]

do you think she suddenly developed a maternal instinct such that she will finally divorce her manchild? I don't. I suspect this is very much a last ditch effort to engage in asset protection, just puzzled over what she is protecting them from. JMO

Two quick thoughts on their “asset protection”, but I don’t think it would be successful in either situation because the assets are still clearly theirs. However, if the Llc is structured as a trust for the remaining minor children then it could possibly work?

1. Could taking assets out of their name make them eligible for legal aid? (“If you cannot afford a lawyer, one will be provided for you”.)

2. Could they be attempting to protect assets in case the oldest daughter sues CS & ES for “damages”?

 

[tlcya]

Two quick thoughts on their “asset protection”, but I don’t think it would be successful in either situation because the assets are still clearly theirs. However, if the Llc is structured as a trust for the remaining minor children then it could possibly work?

1. Could taking assets out of their name make them eligible for legal aid? (“If you cannot afford a lawyer, one will be provided for you”.)

2. Could they be attempting to protect assets in case the oldest daughter sues CS & ES for “damages”?

as to the BBM Possible. hard to say without knowing a) was CS listed on the deed to the property prior to this restructuring? b) is he a partner, officer or director of the LLC? I don't know that ES could be found civilly liable for the bad acts of her spouse in regard to his oldest daughter. But removing his name from property would probably be recommended if he was on the title to begin with. By forming an LLC, with ES as the only controller of said LLC, might afford her and her girls a layer of protection from folks seeking their pound of financial flesh from Chris.

 

[MsMarple]

Interesting…

The father charged in suspicion of murder in his toddler's 2024 hot car death has taken a plea dealwith Pima County prosecutors that includes a higher sentencing than in a previous plea offer.
…
Scholtes rejected a second-degree murder plea deal in March 2025 that would have resulted in a sentence of 10 to 25 years, according to previous reporting by The Arizona Republic. He was now facing 20 to 30 years in prison with sentences to run consecutively without the possibility of parole, the Attorney's Office said.

Marana father takes guilty plea deal in toddler's 2024 hot car death

Christopher Scholtes, 38, rejected a second-degree murder plea deal in March 2025 that would have resulted in a sentence of 10 to 25 years.

www.azcentral.com

The DA must have had a very strong case even without the non admissible evidence. Gee, what happened to the newly discovered memory issues and Chris possibly taking the stand?

IMO the DA called the defense’s bluff. And JMO doctor wife may have thought really hard about her surviving children being called as witnesses. At least I hope so; those kids deserve to be the top priority, not Chris.