09/19/2026
37 children die per year left in hot cars. Micommunication is one of the biggest causes! Always check your backseat!
THEY CAME HOME FROM A BAPTISM PARTY ABOUT 1 P.M. POLICE SAY NO ONE REALIZED THEO WAS STILL IN THE CAR UNTIL ALMOST 4. PEORIA HIT THE TRIPLE DIGITS. BOTH PARENTS ARE CHARGED.
PEORIA, Arizona — Mihail Sabo, 50, and Anca Sabo, 45, are each charged with negligent homicide and child abuse, Class 4 felonies, after their son Theo Sabo, 5, was found unresponsive in the family vehicle Sunday, Sept. 13.
Peoria police say the family returned from church about 1 p.m. to a gathering at their home in the 6800 block of West Mariposa Grande Lane, south of Happy Valley Road, celebrating another child’s baptism. Reports put dozens of guests at the house. About 3:46 to 3:56 p.m., relatives realized Theo was missing. His mother found him in the car. Family members pulled him out and started CPR before crews arrived. He was pronounced dead at a hospital.
The National Weather Service recorded about 102 degrees near 1 p.m. and 104 near 3 p.m. AccuWeather listed a high around 103. Other reports cited 105 to 106. The medical examiner had not released cause and manner of death as of midweek.
Police described a miscommunication over who would take the boy out of the car. The couple’s attorney said in court that Mihail asked their 14-year-old son to get Theo. The teen said he did not remember being asked. The Sabos have four other children, ages 18, 15, 14, and 9.
In court Monday the defense called it a tragic accident, not a crime. Counsel said Anca called 911, tried to help, and answered detectives’ questions. “This is a mother in pain.” She asked the judge to let her see her kids. Prosecutors sought $250,000 cash bond. A judge set $150,000 each, no contact between the parents, and supervised contact with the other children through DCS or an approved adult. Status conference is Sept. 21. Preliminary hearing is Sept. 23. A church-community GoFundMe for funeral costs and time off work had drawn large donations by midweek.
All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
