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One of the year’s most disturbing stories has taken yet another unsettling turn.
Back in July, Christopher Scholtes’ 2-year-old daughter died in a hot car while he was allegedly “distracted” by porn and video games.
On Wednesday, Scholtes was found dead in his home.
Though police have not released an official cause of death, it’s widely believed that Scholtes took his own life.
The father, whose alleged negligence cost his daughter her life, was permitted to remain outside of custody until November 5.
At that time, the court would determine if he would need to be placed behind bars before his formal sentencing, which was scheduled for November 21.
Sgt. Brian Bower of the Phoenix Police Department tells People that officers discovered Scholtes’ body after responding to an unspecified call shortly after 5 am this morning.
Scholtes surprised many observers last month, when he pled guilty to his daughter’s murder just weeks before his trial was set to begin.
The late Christopher Scholtes consults his attorney during his trial. (YouTube)The 38-year-old could have faced the death penalty had his case gone to trial.
Scholtes had been running errands with his toddler on July 9 when he went inside to play video games.
His wife discovered their daughter’s body when she returned home. She has not yet spoken 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 introduced at trial.
According to the criminal complaint, the temperature inside the car reached 109 degrees.
Scholtes is survived by his wife and their two remaining children.
We will have further updates on this developing story as new information becomes available.