Parents arrested after 5-year-old dies in overheated car at Arizona party
Anca and Mihail Sabo were charged with negligent homicide and child abuse after their five-year-old son, Theo, died in a hot car outside their Peoria home during a party.
On Sunday, five-year-old Theo Sabo was discovered unconscious in a sweltering car parked outside his family’s $1.1 million residence in Peoria, Arizona, as the household held a post-church party. Temperatures inside the vehicle rose to 105 °F, and despite CPR attempts by family members, Theo was pronounced dead after being taken to the hospital. Parents Anca Sabo, 45, and Mihail Sabo, 50, have been charged with negligent homicide and child abuse, each posted a $150,000 bond and were ordered not to have contact with one another, though they may see their other children under supervision.
Police reports indicate Mihail asked their 14-year-old son to remove Theo from the car, but the teenager says he does not remember being given that instruction, leading investigators to describe the incident as a possible miscommunication. The Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office has not released a cause of death, and the parents face further court dates in late September. A GoFundMe campaign for funeral expenses has raised over $223,000.
Why it matters
The case highlights the dangers of leaving children unattended in vehicles and the legal consequences for parents.
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