Who was Christopher Scholtes’ wife? Father accused in toddler’s hot car death dies a year after Dr. Erika Scholtes begged judge to release him

Christopher Scholtes, an Arizona man who was awaiting sentencing, took his own life, the Pima County Attorney’s office confirmed on Wednesday, November 5. 

The individual, who was married to an anesthesiologist, Dr. Erika Scholtes, had pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in October, in connection with the death of his two-year-old toddler. 

The convict was supposed to report to prison on Wednesday, but was instead found dead in a Phoenix home, per the New York Post. Pima County Attorney Laura Conover stated (via The Post): 

“Instead of coming in to take account for what has occurred here, we have been informed, and we have confirmed, that the father took his own life last night.” 

NEW: Arizona man who left his two-year-old daughter to die in a hot car while he watched p*rn and played video games, found deceased.

Christopher Scholtes was set to report to prison on Wednesday, but never arrived at the hearing.

Scholtes had pleaded guilty to second-degree… pic.twitter.com/qy3CgB8L9y

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) November 5, 2025

As mentioned, Christopher Scholtes was married to Dr. Erika Scholtes, who works at Banner University Medical Center in Tucson, according to multiple outlets.

According to Doximity.com, she graduated from the University of Arizona College of Medicine in 2019 and holds an AZ State Medical License until 2026. 

Christopher and Dr. Erika Scholtes shared three children, including their youngest two-year-old daughter, who died last year.

The father was accused of leaving the toddler unattended in the car for more than an hour, leading to her death due to heat exposure. 

According to The New York Post, Christopher Scholtes drove back to his Marana, Arizona, home on July 9, 2024, around 12:30 pm and parked his family car outside.

He left his daughter inside the vehicle for an extended period, until his wife arrived around 4:00 pm. The temperature at the time was around 109°F, according to the Daily Mail.

Christopher Scholtes reportedly told the police that he kept the car engine running for the air conditioning, but the AC was off when the toddler was discovered unresponsive.

The car engine seemingly turned off after 30 minutes, while the father was reportedly busy playing video games, drinking beer, and watching adult videos. 

The authorities later arrested Christopher Scholtes, whom they charged with second-degree murder. During a hearing, his wife appealed to the judge to release him, while calling his actions a “big mistake.” 

Dr. Erika Scholtes had urged a judge to release her husband, Christopher Scholtes, during a July 2024 hearing

The Arizona father was apprehended by the police for leaving his 2-year-old daughter inside a hot car for an extended period.

A text exchange between him and his spouse, along with their children’s statements, indicated that Christopher had a habit of leaving his daughters unattended in the vehicle. 

According to CBS’s Inside Edition, during a hearing in July 2024, Dr. Erika Scholtes urged a judge to release her husband. She said: 

“I'm just asking if you can allow him to come home to us so we can all start the grieving process, so that he can bury our daughter with us.” 

She also described her spouse as an “amazing father” and described his actions as a “big mistake,” while adding: 

“This was a big mistake and I think this doesn’t represent him. No one understands how great of a tragedy this is more than myself, my remaining two daughters and Christopher.” 

Inside Edition also spoke with Lindsay Eisenberg, the guardian of Scholtes’ oldest daughter from another relationship. She confirmed that Christopher used to leave his eldest child alone in the car when she was still a child.

According to the Daily Mail, the daughter also accused her father of being abusive towards her. 

According to KVOA News 4 Tucson, Christopher Scholtes’ eldest daughter, now 17, sued him and his wife for causing her emotional distress.

She filed the lawsuit on October 28, while her father was awaiting sentencing following his conviction. Scholtes was facing up to 30 years in prison.