Mother of 3 killed in Pahrump fire faces involuntary manslaughter charges

By Kyle B. Hansen

Published Saturday, Feb. 12, 2011 | 5:50 p.m.

Updated Sunday, Feb. 13, 2011 | 1:09 p.m.

The mother of three children killed in a Pahrump house fire Wednesday was arrested in connection with child neglect and involuntary manslaughter charges, the Nye County Sheriff’s Office said Saturday.

Detectives said the fire, which destroyed a mobile home and killed three children and their adult babysitter, was the result of child neglect and a lack of supervision from their mother, Sharon Broadhead.

Broadhead, 29, was arrested in connection with three counts of child abuse/neglect causing death and four counts of involuntary manslaughter. She is being held on $30,000 bail.

Elliot Broadhead, 1; Zachary Broadhead, 4; Brandon Smith, 6; and Crystal Smiley, 24, were killed in the fire at 3421 Prospector Lane.

Sharon Broadhead lived at the home with her children and Smiley, her roommate, neighbors said.

Authorities allege Broadhead routinely left the children without supervision. Two of the children had earlier destroyed a room of the home by putting holes in the walls and starting at least two fires, the sheriff’s office said.

Nye County Sheriff Tony DeMeo said interviews with Broadhead indicated a pattern of child abuse and neglect, such as her not reporting the previous fires to authorities.

Broadhead told investigators she kept a lighter in her purse and prescription medicine on her dresser, where they were supposedly safe from the children, but one of the children had previously gotten into the purse on the dresser, authorities said. On that occasion the purse was found without a lighter, officials said.

Broadhead was home when the fatal fire occurred but was able to escape safely, DeMeo said.

"We know the arrest isn't going to make it easier for the families to deal with it, but it's our responsibility to do our job," DeMeo said. "We hope they find healing in this."

Investigators have not determined the cause of the fatal fire, DeMeo said. The state fire marshal is investigating.

Evidence was sent to a lab for further testing, which could take several weeks, DeMeo said.

Sun reporter Jackie Valley contributed to this report.