Police say a family miscommunication left Theo Sabo inside a vehicle for nearly three hours after relatives returned home from church.
PEORIA, Ariz. — An Arizona mother and father face negligent homicide and child abuse charges after their 5-year-old son was found unresponsive inside the family’s vehicle following a baptism celebration and later died at a hospital, authorities said.
Peoria police identified the parents as Mihail Sabo and Anca Sabo. Their son, identified in news reports as Theo Sabo, was discovered inside the vehicle Sept. 13 after the family returned to its Peoria home from church. Police said an apparent miscommunication over who was responsible for getting the boy out of the vehicle preceded his death. Both parents were arrested after investigators conducted interviews and took other investigative steps. The charges are allegations and do not establish guilt.
Police said the family returned home at about 1 p.m. for a gathering celebrating the baptism of another child. Theo remained in the vehicle as family members went inside. At approximately 3:46 p.m., relatives realized the 5-year-old was missing and began searching for him, according to a police statement provided to Law&Crime. His mother found him unresponsive inside the family’s vehicle.
Family members removed Theo from the vehicle and attempted CPR before emergency responders arrived, authorities said. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Police said multiple 911 calls were received concerning the unresponsive child. Authorities had not publicly released an official cause of death in the initial reports reviewed, although the investigation centered on the length of time the child had remained inside the vehicle.
The circumstances surrounding who was expected to retrieve Theo became a key issue during the parents’ first court appearances. According to Arizona’s Family, prosecutors said the parents reported that Anca Sabo was preparing to host a gathering at the home and asked her husband to get their son from the vehicle. The family’s attorney said Mihail Sabo then asked the couple’s 14-year-old son to bring Theo inside.
The 14-year-old told the court that he did not remember being asked to retrieve his younger brother, Arizona’s Family reported. Peoria police Officer William Kennedy described the circumstances as an apparent miscommunication among family members over who was supposed to get the child from the vehicle. Authorities have not publicly assigned responsibility for that disputed communication beyond the criminal allegations filed against the parents.
The parents’ attorney characterized Theo’s death as a tragic accident and challenged the decision to bring negligent homicide and child abuse charges. The attorney argued in court that the parents did not intend to harm their son and pointed to their actions after Theo was discovered, including calling 911, attempting lifesaving measures and cooperating with investigators. Those arguments represent the defense position and will be weighed through the court process.
Both parents were booked into the Maricopa County Jail following their arrests. During their initial court appearances, a judge set a $150,000 secured appearance bond for each parent, according to Arizona’s Family and Law&Crime. They were ordered not to contact each other but were allowed supervised contact with their other children. A records search reported by Arizona’s Family found no previous criminal history for either parent.
The case centers on events that unfolded during a busy family gathering after the church service. Police have not released all evidence gathered during their investigation, and court documents were reported as sealed during the initial proceedings. That leaves some details about the family’s movements and communications before Theo was discovered outside the public record.
Mihail and Anca Sabo face negligent homicide and child abuse allegations as the case proceeds through Maricopa County’s court system. The criminal charges remain accusations unless proven in court, while authorities continue to investigate the circumstances that led to Theo remaining inside the vehicle.
Author note: Last updated September 25, 2026.