New Revelations Emerge in Tragic Case of 2-Year-Old Marana Girl Left in Scorching Car

The father’s charges have been increased to first-degree murder after a grand jury reviewed the case.

MARANA, Ariz. — New developments have emerged in the tragic death of a two-year-old Marana girl who was left in a hot car.

A Pima County grand jury has reassessed the case against the girl’s father, Christopher Scholtes. The review revealed an alleged pattern of reckless behavior towards his children.

Christopher Scholtes’ charges have now intensified to first-degree murder. Despite these serious allegations, Scholtes remains out of custody without having to post any bond.

The stakes for Scholtes have surged with the grand jury’s indictment, which includes charges of first-degree murder and child abuse. Investigators concluded that his two-year-old daughter was left in a car for hours with temperatures soaring to 108 degrees.

The indictment was finalized and signed on Thursday afternoon.

The News 4 Tucson investigators have secured over 200 pages of documents outlining the investigative steps taken in this case.

Detectives tested Scholtes’ vehicle and found it shuts off after 20 minutes of idling. However, retrieving specific data on when the car turned off with the child inside proved impossible since the airbags didn’t deploy.

Interviews with Scholtes’ other two children were conducted. One child informed a forensic interviewer that she was instructed to portray her father as a good dad and to describe the incident as an accident.

The child also mentioned that her father was distracted by playing a video game at the time.

The investigation continues as the community awaits further details.