A father from Arizona who was charged for allowing his daughter to die in a hot car while he searched for adult content online has reportedly been found dead before his sentencing.
In July last year, Parker Scholtes passed away after being left in a vehicle for several hours in Marana, Arizona. The inside temperatures of his car reached around 43 degrees Celsius.
Investigators spoke about how the dad returned home from errands with the toddler asleep in her car seat. He reportedly left her inside the car with the engine running and then went inside his home.
When he got back, hours later, the child was unconscious. He admitted knowing his vehicle had an automatic shut-off feature after 3o minutes.
Two older daughters later explained to investigators that their dad had previously left them alone in the car as well.
In early 2025, the Pima County Attorney’s Office charged the dad with first-degree murder and intentional child abuse. This was tied to the death of his daughter. Under a plea agreement, he faced nearly 2 to 3 decades of jail without any early release eligibility.
The dad rejected the plea deal that would have reduced the charge to second-degree murder.
While waiting for his sentencing, he was found dead. As per reports from the Coroner’s office, he passed away on the same day that he was scheduled to surrender and ahead of his sentencing hearing. The cause of death is under investigation.