A father left his daughter in a hot car until she died because he didn't want to wake her up.

Chris Scholtes, a 37-year-old father, is currently facing charges for allegedly leaving his two-year-old daughter, Parker Scholtes, in his car for several hours in extreme heat, ultimately leading to her tragic death. The temperature that day had reached a scorching 109 degrees Fahrenheit as the family remained inside their home in Arizona.

According to the Marana Police Department, Chris had claimed that Parker was sound asleep in the back seat of his car when they arrived at their residence on Tuesday. Not wanting to disturb her peaceful slumber, he decided to leave her inside the vehicle with the air conditioning on while he went inside. However, he accidentally left the car running in the driveway, resulting in the air conditioning eventually shutting off.

Around 4pm, Parker's mother, Erika Scholtes, who works as an anesthesiologist at Banner University Medical Center Tucson, found her unresponsive in the car and immediately called 911. She attempted to revive her daughter with CPR until first responders arrived, but tragically, it was too late.

After investigating the incident, detectives discovered CCTV footage that showed Parker had been left in the car for approximately three hours, much longer than the initial estimate of less than an hour. This heartbreaking revelation emphasizes the dangers of leaving children unattended in vehicles, as the inside temperature can quickly rise to fatal levels.

On Friday morning, Chris was charged with second-degree murder and child abuse in connection with his daughter's death. Parker is survived by her parents and two older sisters, and Chris is currently being held at the Pima County Adult Detention Center.

Despite the severity of the situation, Chris had previously shared pictures of his daughter online, including one where she drew a picture and he playfully captioned it as a "struggling artist." In another photo of him sleeping while holding Parker, he called it "A Father's Comfort."

This tragedy serves as a reminder of the dangers of leaving children unattended in vehicles, and the devastating consequences that can occur. Parker's death comes just weeks after another young child lost her life in similar circumstances, highlighting the importance of being vigilant and aware when it comes to the safety of our little ones.

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