Disturbing new allegations emerge after dad allegedly left two-year-old daughter to die in hot car
Niamh Shackleton
Featured Image Credit: PIMA COUNTY/KVOA-TV
New details have emerged about a young girl who died after being left in a hot car.
Earlier this month it was reported that two-year-old Parker Scholtes had died after being left in a hot car by her father, Christopher Scholtes.
Temperatures are said to have hit 109 degrees, while Parker was in the car on the driveway of their home in Tucson, Arizona.
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The young girl had been asleep and her father allegedly didn't want to wake her. According to police, she'd been left in the vehicle for at least 30 minutes.
Despite resuscitation efforts, Parker tragically died on July 9.
Christopher has since been charged with second-degree murder and child abuse. He has a hearing scheduled for next month.
Christopher's wife and Parker's mother Erika is a doctor at Banner University Medical Center where the young girl was pronounced dead.
While it was first believed that Parker was in the car for 30 minutes, new evidence suggests that the toddler was in the car for three hours in direct sunlight.
Erika reportedly arrived home at 4:08pm on the fateful day of her daughter's death and asked Christopher where Parker was.
The father told police that he'd arrived home himself at 2:30pm, but footage from neighbors' cameras showed his car arrived at the house about 12.53pm, Mail Online reports.
As Parker was on her way to the hospital, Erika's said to have text her husband: "I told you to stop leaving them in the car, how many times have I told you."
Following the toddler's death, she then text: "We've lost her, she was perfect."
Christopher replied: "Babe I'm sorry! How could I do this. I killed our baby, this can't be real."
The couple also have two other daughters aged nine and five.
As Christopher awaits his trial next month, Erika has petitioned to have her husband come home until then so that the family can 'start the grieving process'.
A judge granted her request and Christopher has been released until his hearing.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) over the past 25 years, more than 970 children have died of heatstroke, because they were left or became trapped in a hot car.
With this in mind, the national authority urges parents to make sure their children aren't left unattended in a car for any length of time, make it a habit to check your entire vehicle, and to place a personal item like a purse or briefcase in the back seat, as another reminder to look before you lock.