Doctor’s Husband Facing Murder Charges for Daughter’s Death Allowed to Vacation with Family

A doctor’s husband who is currently facing first-degree murder charges for the tragic death of his 2-year-old daughter, Parker, after leaving her to nap in a hot car while he played video games, has been granted permission to go on a vacation to Maui with his wife and their two surviving daughters.

Christopher Scholtes, 37, allegedly left his car running with the air conditioning on while he was preoccupied with video games, causing the car to shut off and trapping his daughter in sweltering heat last July. Despite the serious charges and the possibility of a death sentence, Scholtes and his wife, Erika, have chosen to stay together.

Despite objections from prosecutors, a court approved Scholtes’ request for a temporary change in his bail conditions, allowing him to vacation with his family from May 1 to 9. The conditions of the approval include no unsupervised contact with children and regular check-ins.

Erika, who has been steadfast in her support of her husband, even defended him in court by referring to their daughter’s death as “a mistake.”

Prior to the tragic incident, the Scholtes family had taken several luxurious trips to destinations such as Banff, Cancun, Europe, Seattle, and Sedona. However, Scholtes now faces the possibility of life in prison or the death penalty if found guilty, after turning down a plea deal that would have reduced his charges to second-degree murder.

Scholtes had initially told police that he left Parker in the car to let her sleep, but surveillance footage showed that she had been in the vehicle for over three hours in direct sunlight. His older daughters also claimed that he would often leave them alone in the car.

On the day of Parker’s death, CCTV footage revealed that Scholtes became distracted by video games and putting away food, neglecting to check on his daughter until Erika arrived home and inquired about her whereabouts. Erika discovered Parker in the car, performed CPR, and rushed her to the hospital where she worked.

Amidst the unfolding tragedy, Erika texted Scholtes, placing blame on him for leaving the children unattended in the car once again, before informing him of their devastating loss.

The trial that was originally scheduled for September has been postponed to October, where the fate of Christopher Scholtes will ultimately be decided.