Arizona father Christopher Schultz pleaded guilty to murder because he left his 2-year-old daughter in a hot car for hours

The Arizona father who left his sleeping 2-year-old daughter to die in a burning car While he was watching pornographyplaying video games and drinking beer for more than three hours, escaped a potential life sentence after striking a plea deal.

Christopher Schultes, 37, pleaded guilty in Pima County Circuit Court on Wednesday to second-degree murder and intentional child abuse after he left his toddler, Parker, to bake to death inside his Acura parked outside his Marana home during a scorching 109-degree day last summer. Prosecutors announced.

Neglectful father — who initially rejected a plea deal in March — now faces up to 30 years behind bars.

“We are grateful for the hard work and dedication of our prosecutors, victim advocates and staff for collaborating with local law enforcement on this complex and high-profile case,” the Pima County District Attorney’s Office said in a statement.

“This year is another reminder to the community that the Pima County District Attorney’s Office will do everything in our power to seek justice for victims and prosecute those who have caused others to suffer especially those who are most vulnerable.”

Shutles’ doctor wife – who stood by him and ignored the tragedy As a “big mistake” -He was noticeably absent from court where he confessed to the heinous murder on July 9, 2024, KVOA reported.

Prosecutors said the father was distracted while playing video games, watching X-rated videos and drinking alcohol he allegedly stole when his young daughter was young. He died due to exposure to the heat in the boiling car.

Schultes initially told investigators He left the baby napping in the car With the air conditioning on for 30 minutes after he got home from shopping around 12:30 p.m., he insisted he didn’t want to wake her.

But court records later Revealing the isolated father He was inside for more than three hours – and admitted he knew the car’s engine would automatically shut off after 30 minutes – before his wife Erika returned home at around 4pm and found their young daughter unconscious in his car.

The little girl He was declared dead An hour later at Banner University Medical Center, the same hospital where her mother worked as an anesthesiologist.

Immediately after that, Erika turned on her exhausted husband in a flurry of angry text messages That revealed a disturbing pattern of repeated neglect, court documents showed.

“I asked you to stop leaving them in the car,” the distressed mother said during the painful conversation in which she described her murdered daughter as “perfect”.

“How many times have I told you?”

The father of four later responded, admitting he “killed our child” and apologised.

Later, Schulz’s two older daughters told investigators that their reckless father would sometimes leave them alone in the car while he “got distracted playing his game and putting his food away,” according to police records.

Prosecutors said Schulz will spend 20 to 30 years in detention with no chance of early release.

He was reportedly released after appearing in court and must surrender himself to the authorities on November 3.

He is scheduled to be sentenced on November 21.