MARANA, ARIZONA — A Tucson-area father accused of leaving his two-year-old daughter to die in a sweltering vehicle while he drank alcohol and watched pornography has accepted a plea deal to avoid a first-degree murder trial.

Christopher Scholtes, 37, pleaded guilty Wednesday morning in Pima County Superior Court to second-degree murder with a domestic violence enhancement and child abuse.

Under the terms of the agreement, Scholtes will serve a minimum of 20 years and a maximum of 30 years in state prison.

He will remain out of custody for two additional weeks before beginning his sentence later this month.

The Pima County Attorney’s Office said the plea provides “justice for Parker and closure for the community.”

“We are grateful for the hard work and dedication of our prosecutors, victim advocates, and staff for their collaboration with local law enforcement on this complicated and high-profile case,” the office said in a statement. “This is yet another reminder that we will do everything possible to seek justice for victims, particularly those who are most vulnerable.”

The case stems from the death of two-year-old Parker Scholtes in Marana, Arizona, in July of last year.

According to investigators, Scholtes arrived home with Parker asleep in her car seat and decided not to wake her.

Instead, he went inside to play video games, drink beer, and watch pornography, leaving the toddler unattended in the vehicle during extreme summer heat.

Scholtes initially told police that he had left the vehicle running with the air conditioning on but lost track of time.

Investigators later determined the vehicle’s engine had shut off, and Parker remained trapped in temperatures that reached up to 190 degrees Fahrenheit inside the car.

Evidence showed she was left alone for approximately three hours, not one hour as Scholtes first claimed.

When Scholtes’ wife, Dr. Erika Scholtes, returned home from her hospital shift, she discovered Parker unresponsive inside the family’s Acura SUV.

Despite her efforts to perform CPR and the response of firefighters, Parker was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Authorities also learned through interviews that Scholtes had a history of leaving his three children unattended in vehicles for extended periods.

Throughout the legal proceedings, Erika Scholtes—an anesthesiologist—remained supportive of her husband, calling the child’s death a “tragic mistake.”

Despite the seriousness of the charges, Scholtes was released on bail shortly after his arrest.

In April, defense attorneys successfully petitioned to modify his bail conditions, allowing Scholtes to travel to Maui, Hawaii, for a family vacation from May 1 to May 9 with his wife and two surviving daughters.

The request was approved by Judge Kimberly Ortiz, despite objections from prosecutors.

Scholtes’ formal sentencing hearing is scheduled later this month, at which time he will return to custody to begin serving his prison term.