IN BRIEF

SEVERE HEAD TRAUMA

Parents arrested after infant girl hospitalized

The parents of a 2-month-old girl in Nye County were arrested Tuesday in connection with child neglect with substantial bodily harm after the infant was hospitalized with severe head trauma.

The infant was admitted to Desert View Regional Medical Center in Pahrump early Tuesday morning while in full cardiac arrest, according to the Nye County sheriff's office.

Detectives who interviewed the parents -- Bianca Razo-Pina, 18, and Efren Chavez, 24, both of Pahrump -- found their stories were not legitimate, said Nye County Detective David Boruchowitz.

"There was nothing (they said) that matches with the injuries," he said.

In addition to excessive brain injuries, the child also had bruises all over her body, police said.

Razo-Pina and Chavez were booked into the Nye County Detention Center.

The infant was transferred by helicopter to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center. A Tuesday news release from the Nye County sheriff's office said the baby was in critical condition, "fighting for her life."

UNMANNED REAPER

Valve problem blamed in spy plane crash

Air Force investigators have determined that the crash of a remotely piloted MQ-9 Reaper spy plane March 20 at Fort Irwin, Calif., was caused by an oil system control valve that had been improperly assembled.

The unmanned Reaper, which launched from Creech Air Force Base, 45 miles northwest of Las Vegas, was flying a training sortie controlled via satellite link by a pilot and sensor operator in a ground station at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M.

The pilot received an engine malfunction warning, according to a report this month by Air Combat Command accident investigators at Langley Air Force Base, Va. An attempt to land the plane in the desert resulted in damage for repairs costing $3.9 million.

There were no injuries or property damage.

HEPATITIS C CRISIS

Meeting to focus on health care infections

Health professionals and state regulators plan to meet this week in Las Vegas to talk about new requirements for reporting and responding to health care infections.

The state Health Division "summit" today and Thursday will be about new rules affecting hospitals, outpatient surgical centers and other health care providers.

The event follows last year's hepatitis C crisis. More than 50,000 people were told they may have been exposed to hepatitis C. Nine cases were definitively linked to the clinics, and another 105 cases were possibly related.

Conference organizers call preventing infection and controlling outbreaks a major concern.

IGNITED BY LIGHTNING

Wilderness fire grows to 200 acres, BLM says

A fire burning in the Clover Mountains Wilderness about 100 miles northeast of Las Vegas grew from 15 acres to 200 acres Tuesday, according to the Bureau of Land Management.

The federal agency said the Sawmill fire was ignited by lightning on Saturday and grew significantly on Monday afternoon.

The Sams fire, which was also ignited by lightning Saturday, was about 725 acres. It was burning outside the wilderness area, about 25 miles southeast of Caliente.