Niamh Shackleton
Bodycam footage shows the moment Christopher Scholtes drops to the floor and asks a haunting question as police arrested him over the death of his daughter.
Two-year-old Parker Scholtes tragically died on July 9 after being left in a hot car by her father at their home in Arizona, US.
It's believed the toddler may have been left in the vehicle for a long as three hours on the day in question when temperatures soared to 109°F.
Reportedly, the dad-of-three was inside playing on his PlayStation while Parker was still in the car.
He left her in it as the two-year-old was asleep when they returned home from shopping and Christopher 'didn't want to wake her'.
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Following an investigation into Parker's heartbreaking death, Christopher went on to be arrested in connection to it and was initially charged with second-degree murder.
In recent days, however, this charged has been upped to first-degree murder, which the 37-year-old has pleaded not guilty to.
In recent days, bodycam footage of the moment Christopher was arrested has been released.
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In the harrowing footage, the bereaved father drops don't to his knees and repeatedly says 'no' as one of the officers explain what's going on.
Eventually they get Christopher to his feet, as an officer tells him: "The reason that I'm here and meeting you in person is because I don't want this to be anything more than it needs to be."
"I don't want the kids to see dad get hauled off," he added.
Christopher, who was overcome with emotion, proceeded to ask: "Am I going to be there for my baby's funeral?"
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The officer then replied that the the answer to this 'is between [Christopher] and the court'.
Christopher's wife Erika Scholtes is also there and before he was taken away by police, she told him that she loved him and proceeded to give him a kiss.
"Chris I'm going to be here and I'll take care of everything," she went on to reassure her husband.
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Christopher appeared in Pima County Superior Court on Thursday (August 8) where he pleaded not guilt to first-degree murder.
A few days prior, a grand jury indicted him and upped his charges to first-degree.
Part of the incident read, as per KGUN 9: "On or about July 9, 2024, Christopher Scholtes, under circumstances likely to produce death or serious physical injury, committed child abuse by intentionally or knowingly, causing [redacted], a minor under fifteen, to suffer physical injury...by leaving [redacted] unattended in the vehicle."