MARANA, Ariz. — There is new information on the death of a two-year-old Marana girl left in a hot car.
A Pima County grand jury has reviewed the case against the girl's father Christopher Scholtes as investigators start learning more about an alleged pattern of reckless behavior with his children.
Christopher Scholtes’ charges have been increased to first-degree murder after a grand jury reviewed the case. Christopher Scholtes remains out of custody after having to not post any bond.
The stakes against Christopher Scholtes have surged as a Pima County grand jury returns an indictment for first-degree murder and child abuse against him after his two-year-old daughter died after investigators say she was left in a hot car for hours last month with temperatures reaching 108 degrees.
The indictment was signed Thursday just after 1 p.m.
The News 4 Tucson investigators obtained more than 200 pages of documents detailing the steps investigators have taken so far in this case.
Detectives were able to test Scholtes’ car and found it did turn off after 20 minutes of idling during their tests, but can’t retrieve specific data to verify when the car turned off while the child was inside because the airbags didn’t deploy.
Detectives interviewed Scholtes’ other two children. One of the kids told the forensic interviewer that she was to tell the person interviewing her that dad was a good dad and it was just an accident.
The child told investigators that her father was distracted by playing a video game.
Editor's note: The above video is from a previous broadcast.
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