A 5-year-old boy died Sept. 13 after he was found unresponsive in his family’s vehicle in Peoria, and his parents were arrested on suspicion of negligent homicide and child abuse charges.
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At about 1 p.m., the family returned to their home near 67th Avenue and Pinnacle Peak Road after celebrating another child’s baptism at a church, according to Officer William Kennedy, spokesperson for the Peoria Police Department in an emailed statement.
At about 3:46 p.m., family members realized the boy was missing and began searching for him, Kennedy said.
His mother found him unresponsive inside the vehicle, and family members pulled him out and began CPR before police and fire crews arrived, Kennedy said.
The boy was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, Kennedy said.
Detectives interviewed the boys parents and later arrested them. The parents were identified as Mihail Sabo and Anca Sabo.
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The arrest documents for the couple were sealed by the court.
Both were booked into the Maricopa County jail on charges of negligent homicide and child abuse, and were each held on a $150,000 bond.
Police did not release the child’s name or provide a cause of death. The investigation remained ongoing Sept. 14.
This is a developing story, check back to azcentral.com for more details.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Peoria parents arrested after 5-year-old dies in car
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Reporting by Rey Covarrubias Jr., Arizona Republic / Arizona Republic
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Copyright Reuters or USA Today via Reuters Connect
This story was originally published September 14, 2026 at 3:04 PM.
