An Arizona father faces up to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to the murder of his two-year-old daughter, who died after being left in a hot car for hours while he allegedly drank alcohol and played video games inside his home.
According to court documents, 31-year-old Christopher Scholtes admitted he had been drinking heavily and playing video games for several hours while his daughter, Parker, remained strapped in her car seat in outdoor temperatures exceeding 100°F (38°C). He initially claimed to police that he had forgotten she was in the vehicle, but prosecutors stated that Parker had been left without ventilation or water for an extended period and was discovered unresponsive. Despite emergency attempts to resuscitate her, she was pronounced dead at the scene.
