A Romanian couple was arrested in the U.S. after their 5-year-old son died in a car from the heatwave

Anca and Mihail Sabo, two Romanians originally from Baia Mare who settled in Peoria, Arizona, were arrested after their five-year-old son died after being found unconscious inside a locked car on September 13. That day, temperatures exceeded 40 degrees Celsius, and the child reportedly remained in the vehicle for nearly three hours.

The family, which has five children, returned home at around 1:00 p.m. after attending a baptism. According to investigators, the parents noticed around 3:45 p.m. that their youngest child was missing and called 911. The mother found him in the car, with no vital signs. The parents and family members attempted to resuscitate him, but doctors at the hospital were unable to save his life.

Police say there was a misunderstanding over who was supposed to bring the child into the house. The mother allegedly asked her husband to handle it, and he allegedly passed the request on to his 14-year-old son. The teenager said he did not remember this.

The two parents are accused of manslaughter and child abuse. Their lawyer described the case as a tragic accident and challenged the charges. The court set bail at $150,000 for each of them, barred them from contacting each other and restricted their contact with their other children. The investigation is ongoing.