Dad Accused of Letting Toddler Die in Hot Car Goes on Hawaii Trip with Wife
ArchiveFirst published May 14, 2025. It may not reflect later developments.
Christopher Scholtes, 37, is facing first-degree murder charges after his 2-year-old daughter, Parker, died in a hot car in Arizona last July. Despite the charges and facing a possible death sentence, he was recently granted permission to vacation in Hawaii with his wife Erika and their two surviving daughters.
Scholtes allegedly left Parker in a car with the engine running while he played PlayStation inside. The car shut off automatically after 30 minutes, and the toddler remained in 190°F heat for over three hours. CCTV contradicted his claim that she was only in the car for under an hour.
Erika, a doctor at the hospital where Parker was taken, found her daughter unresponsive. Texts showed she had warned Scholtes before: “I told you to stop leaving them in the car.” Scholtes replied: “I killed our baby. This can’t be real.”
Despite the tragedy, Erika has continued to support her husband, calling the death “a big mistake.” Prosecutors strongly objected to the vacation, but the court approved it with strict conditions.
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