A 5-year-old Arizona boy died after being left inside a sweltering vehicle for more than two and a half hours while his family hosted a gathering at their home — and his father told police he had expected the child’s teenage brother to get him out of the car.
Theo Sabo was left inside the family vehicle at around 1 p.m. Sunday after returning home from the baptism of another child at their church, according to FOX 10.
Meanwhile, the family hosted about 50 friends and relatives at their Peoria home.
More than two and a half hours later, the family realized Theo was missing and discovered him unresponsive inside the vehicle outside the house.
Temperatures in Peoria reached 106 degrees Fahrenheit that day, according to historical weather records.
CPR was performed before Theo was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
His parents, Mihail Sabo, 50, and Anca Sabo, 45, were subsequently charged with negligent homicide and child abuse.
Theo Sabo, 5, died in a hot car in Arizona while his family hosted a party on Sunday.GoFundMe
Father Says He Asked Teenage Son to Remove Theo From Car
According to police, Mihail told investigators that after the family arrived home from the baptism, he asked his 14-year-old son to get Theo out of the vehicle.
The teenager gave investigators a different account, saying that his father had never asked him to do so.
That discrepancy became a central issue during the couple’s court hearings.
Mihail and Anca have four other children, aged 18, 15, 14 and 9.
During a hearing in Maricopa County Superior Court Monday, Anca wept and pleaded to see her children.Maricopa County Superior Court
During separate hearings in Maricopa County Superior Court on Monday, Anca became visibly emotional and repeatedly sobbed, while Mihail largely kept his head down.
Their defense attorney, Leah Dodd, argued that the circumstances amounted to a terrible accident rather than conduct warranting the criminal charges.
“This was a, I can’t overstress this, a tragedy,” Dodd told the court during Anca’s hearing.
She also repeated the account that Mihail had asked the 14-year-old to retrieve Theo from the vehicle.
“Mom is hosting a party at their home, assumes dad is gonna get [Theo]. Dad asks the 14-year-old,” Dodd argued, emphasizing that the teenager was not a young child being asked to care for his sibling.
Dodd said Theo had been sleeping and that there had been a great deal happening at the family home.
Prosecutors Point to More Than Two Hours in the Heat
Maricopa County Attorney Brooke Gaunt presented a different focus to the court.
“The child was in the car for more than two and a half hours and the parents were not aware of his location during that whole time,” Gaunt argued.
The defense maintained that the charges of criminally negligent homicide and child abuse were not warranted and described Theo’s death as an “unimaginable tragedy.”
Dodd also pointed to Anca’s actions after the boy was discovered.
“She called 911, she administered life-saving efforts, she answered all questions of detectives. This is not someone who is running away,” the attorney said.
Anca was seen clutching her chest throughout the court hearing while weeping loudly.GoFundMe
She argued that everything the couple did after discovering Theo inside the vehicle was consistent with what would ordinarily be expected in an emergency.
At one point during the hearing, Anca broke down and pleaded with the judge: “I want to see my kids. Please let me see my kids.”
Parents Ordered to Stay Apart
Mihail, however, appeared defeated and hung his head low during his court hearing.Maricopa County Superior Court
The couple were treated as co-defendants in separate cases and were each given a $150,000 bond.
They were ordered not to have contact with one another, although they may have supervised visitation with their four surviving children.
Dodd told the court that Mihail and Anca had been married for nearly 20 years and had lived in the Arizona area since 2011.
During Mihail’s hearing, he appeared subdued and kept his head lowered for much of the proceeding.
The couple are scheduled to return to court on September 21.
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office declined to comment while the cases remain pending. The Peoria Police Department and Dodd were also contacted for comment but had not immediately responded.
Temperatures in Peoria, Arizona reached a scorching 106 Farenheit the day Theo was left in the car.GoFundMe
Theo Remembered by His Family
An online fundraiser for the Sabo family described Theo as a deeply loved child whose life would never be forgotten.
“Theo was deeply loved, and his precious life will never be forgotten,” the fundraiser said.
“Thank you for loving, praying for, and supporting the Sabo family as they walk through this unimaginable loss.”
The case remains ongoing as prosecutors and the defense continue to address the circumstances surrounding the little boy’s death.
