Anca Sabo, 45, and Mihail Sabo, 50, have been arrested and charged with negligent homicide and child abuse following the death of their 5-year-old son, Theo Sabo. The boy was found unresponsive in a car outside their Peoria, Arizona, home on Sunday as temperatures reached 105 degrees Fahrenheit.
The family had returned from a baptism around 1 p.m., and the parents did not realize Theo was missing until 3:45 p.m. when they were hosting a party at their home. Police stated that Mihail Sabo told investigators he had asked his 14-year-old son to retrieve Theo from the vehicle upon their arrival. The teen reportedly has no recollection of this request.
"It appears that it was either a miscommunication between who or which family member was supposed to get the child out of the car," said Police Community Relations Officer William Kennedy. Authorities confirmed Theo was pulled from the car and received CPR from family members. The fire department transported him to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
During a court hearing on Monday, the parents' attorney, Leah Dodd, described the incident as a tragedy and questioned the appropriateness of the charges. Dodd argued that Anca Sabo called 911 and administered life-saving efforts, and that the situation arose from a miscommunication rather than intentional neglect. She characterized the parents' actions upon finding the child as "standard care."
Anca Sabo reportedly pleaded with the judge to allow her to see her other children during the hearing. The parents were each granted a $150,000 bond and ordered to have no contact with each other. However, the judge did permit supervised visits with their other children.
A GoFundMe campaign has been established to assist the Sabo family with funeral and memorial expenses for Theo. The fundraiser description highlights the family's community involvement and the profound grief they are experiencing.
Both Anca and Mihail Sabo have a status conference scheduled for September 21 and a preliminary hearing on September 23.