Arizona parents charged after 5-year-old dies in hot car

An Arizona couple, Mihail and Anca Sabo, have been charged with negligent homicide and child abuse following the death of their 5-year-old son, Theo Sabo. The incident occurred in Peoria on September 13, after the family returned home from a church baptism.

While the parents hosted a celebration with approximately 50 guests, Theo was left inside a vehicle in temperatures exceeding 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The child was discovered unresponsive more than two and a half hours later. Despite attempts at CPR, he was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.

During investigations, conflicting accounts emerged regarding the child's safety. Mihail Sabo claimed he instructed his 14-year-old son to remove Theo from the car upon arrival, a claim the teenager denied. Defense attorney Leah Dodd characterized the event as an ‘unimaginable tragedy’ resulting from a misunderstanding during a crowded gathering, arguing the parents acted in good faith once the child was found. Maricopa County Attorney Brooke Gaunt emphasized the severity of the oversight, noting the child remained unmonitored for several hours.