Father who left girl, 2, to die in hot car found dead on day of sentencing
A father who was facing decades in prison after leaving his daughter to die in a hot car has been found dead.
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Christopher Scholtes, 38, left toddler Parker napping in the car on a day in July last year where temperatures reached 32C.
He failed to appear at a court hearing on Wednesday and was later found dead inside a home in Phoenix, Arizona.
He faced up to 30 years behind bars with no possibility of parole.
Last month it emerged in court that he had left his daughter napping inside the car with the air-conditioning on but lost track of time.
Read more: Child killer who murdered two-year-old stepdaughter found dead in cell
He went inside to play video games, drink alcohol and watch pornography. While inside his car turned off and his daughter succumbed to the heat.
The temperature inside the car was 42C when emergency services first arrived.
Scholtes struck a deal with prosecutors last month to plead guilty to second-degree murder and be jailed for 20 to 30 years without parole.
His wife Erika stood by him in court and defended her husband’s actions by calling their daughter's death 'a mistake'.
In addition to facing decades in jail, Scholtes was sued last week, along with Erika, by his eldest daughter, now 17, for emotional distress, assault, battery, and fraud.