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One of the most disturbing stories of the year has taken another disturbing turn.
In July, Christopher Scholtes’ 2-year-old daughter died in a hot car while he was allegedly “distracted” by pornography and video games.
On Wednesday, Scholtes was found dead in his home.
Although police have not released an official cause of death, it is widely believed that Scholtes took his own life.
The father, whose alleged negligence cost his daughter her life, was allowed to remain out of custody until November 5.
At that time, the court would determine whether it would be necessary to put him behind bars before his formal sentencing, which was scheduled for November 21.
Sergeant. Brian Bower of the Phoenix Police Department says People that officers discovered Scholtes’ body after responding to an unspecified call shortly after 5 a.m. this morning.
Scholtes surprised many observers last month when he pleaded guilty to his daughter’s murder just weeks before his trial was to begin.
The 38-year-old could have faced the death penalty if his case had gone to trial.
Scholtes had been running errands with his little boy on July 9 when he came in to play video games.
His wife discovered their daughter’s body when she returned home. She has yet to speak publicly about the loss of her daughter or her husband.
It has been widely reported that Scholtes also searched for pornography on his PlayStation for several minutes, but the judge determined that that information could not be presented at trial.
According to the criminal complaint, the temperature inside the car reached 109 degrees.
Scholtes is survived by his wife and two remaining children.
We will have more updates on this developing story as new information becomes available.
