Crime Fix with Angenette Levy - Shocking Bodycam of Dad Accused of Killing Daughter in Hot Car Released as New Details Surface

Episode Date: August 10, 2024

Christopher Scholtes had been charged with 2nd-degree murder and child abuse in the death of his daughter, Parker Scholtes, in July. This week, Scholtes pleaded not guilty to an upgraded charge of first-degree murder and child abuse. Body camera footage of Scholtes’ arrest was also released that shows him breaking down as police took him into custody. Law&Crime’s Angenette Levy breaks down the body camera footage and details the new information about the case in this episode of Crime Fix — a daily show covering the biggest stories in crime.PLEASE SUPPORT THE SHOW: Download the FREE Upside App at https://upside.app.link/lctakeover to get an extra 25 cents back for every gallon on your first tank of gas.Host:Angenette Levy  https://twitter.com/Angenette5CRIME FIX PRODUCTION:Head of Social Media, YouTube - Bobby SzokeSocial Media Management - Vanessa BeinVideo Editing - Daniel CamachoGuest Booking - Alyssa Fisher & Diane KayeSTAY UP-TO-DATE WITH THE LAW&CRIME NETWORK:Watch Law&Crime Network on YouTubeTV: https://bit.ly/3td2e3yWhere To Watch Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3akxLK5Sign Up For Law&Crime's Daily Newsletter: https://bit.ly/LawandCrimeNewsletterRead Fascinating Articles From Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3td2IqoLAW&CRIME NETWORK SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawandcrime/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LawCrimeNetworkFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/lawandcrimeTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/lawandcrimenetworkTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@LawandCrimeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Wondery Plus subscribers can binge all episodes of this law and crimes series ad-free right now. Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. It's coming out here, Christopher. It's okay. It's okay. No. So, listen. No. Listen.

No. This doesn't change what's going on. The Arizona father, accused of playing on his PlayStation as his two-year-old daughter died in a hot car, breaks down as he's taken into custody. No hearts. No f***ing hearts at all. Christopher Schultz's family isn't happy either, and it's captured on police body camera footage. Welcome to Crime Fix. I'm Anjanette Levy. Christopher Schultz now faces a first-degree murder charge in the death of his daughter, Parker. This week, Schultz pleaded not guilty to that charge, along with a child abuse charge. What happened to Parker Schultz is an absolute

tragedy. Last month, prosecutors say Schultz left Parker in her car seat in their driveway after returning home. Parker was asleep and police said Schultz told them he didn't want to wake her. So he left her in the car with it running and the AC on. But now we're learning through a police report that that might not have been true. And the car may have actually been off when Parker was left in the car in the Arizona sun. Police said she was actually in there for three hours. Yes, three hours. The medical examiner said the temperature in the car reached a staggering 108 degrees.

The initial complaint charging Schultz with second-degree murder showed that his wife sent him a text message as Parker was being taken to the hospital. It reads, I told you to stop leaving them in the car. How many times have I told you? Christopher Schultz responded, Babe, I'm sorry. His wife then responded, We've lost her. She was perfect. Christopher Schultz then responded,

Babe, our family, how could I do this? I killed our baby. This can't be real. That second degree murder charge, as I mentioned, was upgraded to first degree murder earlier this week after the grand jury met in Pima County, Arizona, and listened to all of the evidence. Schultz was also charged with child abuse as a domestic violence offense. And there's more new information coming out. Records claim that Schultz's older children told detectives that their father left them in the car many times, 59 times to be exact. Body camera footage just released by Marana Police show Schultz being taken into custody back on July 12th. So remember how we talked about

the investigation and things that would transpire? Okay. And I told you I'm always gonna tell you guys the truth. There's no secrets here, right? So based off of our investigation at this point, right, we have determined that there's probable cause to go ahead and charge you for what happened. Okay. Let's come out here, Christopher.

It's okay. It's okay. No. come out here Christopher. No. It's okay. It's okay. No. No. Listen. Listen. This doesn't change what's going on. This doesn't change what's going on. This doesn't change what's going on.

Okay. What happens at this point, it's simple. Okay. What happens at this point is you are going to be taken to custody all right now we will be booked and then after your books you have an initial appearance with the judge within the first 24 hours okay after the first 24 hours all right the judge will determine law and things like that as far as what happens next at that, the case goes to the courts.

It'll be between you, it'll be between your attorneys, and it'll be between the county prosecutor. So, again, I can't change the consequences of what happened, all right? But what I'm going to ask of you... You won't make it. Okay. Could I just have you stand up for me, please? Come on, Chris. Let's go out here.

Can you grab him some shoes, Chris? No. Come on, Christopher. It's okay. It's okay. It's okay. Yes. Yeah.

Now, you can see that Schultz is obviously distraught. He can't believe that he's being taken into custody. And, of course, he's grieving the loss of his daughter. Now, I've covered a handful of cases over the years where parents have forgotten their children were in the car and came out hours later to find them in their dead. Those parents were not charged with crimes. But prosecutors in Arizona must see this case much differently. And we'll talk about why in just a little bit. Here's more of Schultz being taken into custody. He's very upset. Can I just ask one thing, please? Yeah. Can you just, can you say bye to our kids? So, so, so, so listen to what I'm saying. I'm not resisting. Just relax. Just relax,

Christopher. I need you to listen. Just relax. Just relax. And these are the options. The reason I'm here meeting with you in person The reason I'm here meeting with you in person is because I don't want this to be anything more than what it needs to be at its base. I don't want the kids to be traumatized. I don't want the kids to be traumatized. I don't want the kids... I don't want the kids to see Dad get hauled off. Am I gonna be there for my baby's funeral? Dad's gonna be between you and the court.

Can I give him a kiss? Yeah. I love you. There you go. Chris, I'm gonna be here and I'll take care of everything. I love you. I love you. I love you. Okay.

If you're all this, pray. F***. No heart. No f***ing heart at all. Okay. Now you can hear that one of Schultz's family members is very upset. They don't believe he should be charged or taken to jail. He's then taken to a cruiser as he sobs. Anything on you that's talk some more with us?

No. No? I'm just going to go back to my trajectory. This is, of course, a really terrible case, but we're able to go back to my birthday. This is, of course, a really terrible case, but we're able to bring it to you today thanks to Upside, which is sponsoring Law & Crime's YouTube takeover. Upside is a great app that will give you cash back on things like food and gas. Upside gives you real cash back, money that will appear in your bank account that you can transfer from the Upside app. Download Upside, claim an offer for what you're buying, and pay with your debit or credit card. You can use Upside at places like Shell, Exxon, Taco Bell, Chipotle, and many more.

To find out how much you could earn, click the link in the description to download Upside. You can also scan the QR code on your screen and use the promo code LCTAKEOVER. Get an extra 25 cents back on every gallon on your first tank of Cass. That's LC takeover for an extra 25 cents back on your first gallon of gas. So you probably heard Schultz told the officer that he is not willing to talk to them anymore. One of the arresting officers then talks with Schultz's wife and someone who appears to be his mother-in-law. change the law. I know. But seriously? His daughter, he's suffering. I know. The funeral. I know. I know he's feeling the guilt. I know he's feeling anguish. I can't change the law.

Okay. So the next steps after this, okay, he's going to county right now. He'll be booked. He has to see a judge within 24 hours. That's the law. He'll see a judge within 24 hours. Okay. At that initial appearance between him, the judge and the prosecutor is what's determined as far as his conditions of release and Yvonne, things like that. And then as far as what proceeds forward with regards to the charges, how the county attorney decides to issue the case, what they feel is best, that's going to be in the court system and with the prosecutors. All right. My involvement up to the point of issuing today, it's done. Like I don't have any more. I can't change the law. All right. Obviously. I understand you're just a messenger. And it's okay for you to be angry at

me. I'm not, I'm not offended. Like it's okay to vent your frustration. Um, but just, I need to, I want you guys to understand that this has to take place. This is something that has to go forward. Another officer explained that Schultz may not even be kept in jail. I'm not sure if he covered it, but he may not be held. It's up to the judge whether or not he's held. It's not like he doesn't have prior history and things like that. They take this into consideration. And obviously they take into consideration the family dynamics of what's going on.

Okay, thank you guys. Schultz appeared in court the next morning. The state is asking for a $1 million bond. Defense counsel? Your Honor, the state's recommendation is unreasonable given the circumstances in this case. This is an unfortunate family tragedy. Schultz's attorney argued against a $1 million bond, and the judge noted that the state always asks for a $1 million bond, and the judge noted that the state always

asks for a $1 million bond in every homicide case. Here's what the prosecutor had to say about their request. Most concern to the state in the interim complaint is the lack of fruit telling by the defendant when interviewed by the police. That was quickly contradicted by police, as well as his awareness of not only the timing that the car would shut off, but the text messages between him and his wife indicating that there was an awareness that this was an issue long before this happened. So the prosecutor basically said that he felt Schultz had been dishonest with police and had left the children in the car many times in the past, noting this wasn't like other cases. The police report also said that Schultz's older children, ages five and nine,

told detectives that their dad had left all three of the children alone in the vehicle regularly and stated that, quote, he got distracted playing his game and putting his food away. During Schultz's court appearance last month, his wife, Erica, who's an anesthesiologist, made a plea to the judge asking that her husband be released. I just wanted to say that no one understands how great of a tragedy this is more than myself, my girls, my remaining two daughters, and Christopher. So not only do we have to move forward with grieving for my daughter, but we potentially could be losing their father. So the absolute worst case scenario for our family

is if Chris would be away from us. We're already hurting. No one else shares this bond and this trauma like all of us, all four of us. I know the significance of the tragedy, and I don't want you to think for a second that I underestimate the impact that it has on our daughter with us this upcoming week and that we can go through this whole process together as a family. Erica Schultz also said that Christopher is the caregiver for their daughters because she works. He's an amazing father. He's a pillar of our community. He's been a coach for young kids. He's taken them to school every day. He's been the main caregiver. I work many hours,

so they're all that he sees. This was a big mistake, and I think that this doesn't represent him. And I just want the girls to see their father so that I don't have to tell them tonight that they're going to endure another loss. The judge decided to release Schultz without requiring him to post any cash, and she explained why. Mr. Schultz without requiring him to post any cash, and she explained why. Mr. Schultz has significant ties to the community, no criminal history whatsoever. This is the kind of offense that is extremely unlikely to reoccur. I don't believe that he poses a danger to the community now, although his actions on that day may have. For all of those reasons, I am actually going to release him to pretrial services supervision.

I don't believe that a money bond is appropriate at this time. However, sir, I am ordering that you do not possess or consume any alcohol or illegal drugs, do not possess any firearms or submit to any monitoring or treatment that's directed by pre-trial services. Also, sir and ma'am, I'd like you to hear this as well. I am ordering that you are not to have any unsupervised contact with minors. You are not to be alone with children. They cannot be alone in your care while this case is pending. So your wife mentioned that she works a lot of hours. You're going to have to find a different child care scenario. If she's at work, you cannot be home alone with children. That being said, I'm not prohibiting contact, just unsupervised contact.

One thing I didn't mention is that I have taken an extended leave from work so that I will be home with the kids. I just wanted to make that known. Now, as I mentioned earlier, Christopher Schultz pleaded not guilty to a first degree murder charge earlier this week. And you might be asking yourself how Christopher Schultz is charged with first degree murder. It doesn't appear that he actually intended to kill his daughter. But since there is an underlying felony of child abuse that he's facing to kill his daughter. But since there is an underlying felony of child abuse that he's facing that charge, prosecutors could argue that Parker's death actually fits a first-degree murder charge. The case is scheduled for a case management conference next month. And that's it for this episode of Crime Fix. I'm Ann Jeanette Levy. Thanks

so much for being with me. I'll see you back here next time.