Crankshaft Sensor 1998 Ford Contour 2.0L Auto

Hello,

I am trying to figure out something for my folks and thought there couldn’t be a better place to go to find out some information.

My folks have a 1998 Contour 2.0L Auto, the car has 77,000 miles on it. The car was stuck in the snow and the trans went out on them, long story short they paid more that the car was worth but that is over and done.

They were driving it later and the engine died out, took it back to the shop and they said the crankshaft sensor was bad, they replaces the sensor and it still wouldn’t start.
They took the trans out and said the crankcase sensor broke and fell in between the engine and trans and it ended up breaking a piece of the flywheel and the housing of the sensor (pictured). Just so you know the car had only about 300 miles on it since they worked on it.

I am wondering first, has anyone ever had a sensor like the one on this car break? Two doesn’t the sensor sit fixed and no moving parts on it just sensing the flywheel going past? Three, if one did break since it is plastic could it even do that type of damage? There is a round cylinder copper wound thing that is in the sensor could it do the damage?
I think this guy dropped something in there or something came loose after working on it and isn’t admitting it. Any feedback would be appreciated.
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Thanks,
Jeff