A two-year-old girl tragically lost her life in a hot car in Arizona, USA, after her father became too distracted by playing video games. The father, Christopher Scholtes, is now facing charges of second-degree murder and child abuse.
According to an interim complaint, Scholtes’ other two children, ages nine and five, reported to the authorities that their father had left all three children alone in the vehicle regularly. They also mentioned that he got distracted by playing his game and putting his food away.
As part of the investigation, authorities seized a PlayStation and several other electronic devices from the family home. They also took possession of the 2023 Acura MDX that was involved.
During the incident, while their daughter was being taken to the hospital, text messages between Scholtes and his wife were exchanged. His wife, who has not been identified, texted him, saying, “I told you to stop leaving them in the car. How many times have I told you?” Scholtes responded with, “Babe, I’m sorry,” to which she replied, “We’ve lost her; she was perfect.” In another text, Scholtes lamented, “Babe, our family. How could I do this? I killed our baby, this can’t be real.”
Scholtes admitted to investigators that he was aware his vehicle had a safety feature that would turn off the engine after 30 minutes. He also said that he left his daughter in the running vehicle with the air conditioning on because she was asleep.
His wife, who wasn’t home at first, later discovered her daughter in the car with the air conditioning turned off. She performed CPR until first responders arrived. Unfortunately, the little girl was pronounced dead after being transported to the hospital.
Video surveillance from nearby residences revealed that the child had been in the vehicle for around three hours. The temperature on that day was recorded at 109°F (almost 43°C).
Scholtes was arrested and charged with second-degree murder and child abuse. Marana Police Department Chief of Police Jeffrey Pridgett emphasized the dangers of leaving children unattended in vehicles, as temperatures inside can rise rapidly, leading to fatal outcomes.
At his initial court appearance, Scholtes’ wife expressed her support for him, stating that she wants him at home with their other children and does not consider him a risk to the community.
Arizona’s harsh heat has tragically claimed the lives of other children as well. Earlier this month, a four-month-old named Tanna Rae Wroblewski died from a heat-related illness while on a boat at Lake Havasu. The temperature in the area was recorded at 118°F (nearly 48°C).
Dr. Sarah Monahan-Estes, a pediatric hospitalist, highlighted that heat stroke is the leading cause of non-crash vehicle-related death in children under 15. She warned that a child’s body heats up three to five times faster than an adult’s, making them vulnerable to heat stroke or death at high body temperatures.
“This is a tragedy of the worst kind,” a reader commented
This terrible incident, along with many others, serves as a harsh reminder of the critical importance of never leaving children unattended in vehicles, especially in extreme temperatures.
