LAS VEGAS - The mother of three children killed along with their babysitter in a rural Nevada house fire last week has been arrested on charges of child abuse and involuntary manslaughter, authorities said

Nye County sheriff's investigators think Wednesday's fire in Pahrump, about 60 miles west of Las Vegas, stemmed from child neglect and a lack of supervision from their mother, Sharon Broadhead.

Broadhead, 29, was booked Saturday into the Pahrump jail and was expected to make an initial court appearance Monday, the Las Vegas Sun and Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.

Pahrump Fire Chief Scott Lewis said an investigation showed it was "an apparent accidental fire possibly ignited" by one of the children. He said Broadhead was in the mobile home at the time and managed to safely escape.

Investigators said two of the young children had earlier destroyed a room of the home by putting holes in walls and starting at least two fires. They allege Broadhead routinely left the children without supervision and did not report the fires.

"The lack of supervision was not an isolated incident to the morning of the fire," the sheriff's office said in a news release. "(Broadhead was arrested because) previous fire starting within the residence by the children occurred and preventative measures from the mother were not taken."

The cause of the deadly fire remains under investigation, and authorities have not yet disclosed how or where it started.

The fire killed Elliot Broadhead, 1; Zachary Broadhead, 4; Brandon Smith, 5; and Crystal Smiley, 24. Sharon Broadhead lived at the home with her children and Smiley, neighbors said.

Smiley was overcome with smoke while on the phone with an emergency dispatcher. Her sister, Anna Huyck, declined to comment on Broadhead's arrest.

Sheriff Tony DeMeo told The Associated Press that Broadhead remained in jail Sunday and would appear in court Monday if she fails to post $35,000 bail. He said she doesn't have an attorney and was unavailable to talk to the media.

Broadhead was arrested after she and her husband, Anthony Broadhead, were interviewed by investigators Saturday. DeMeo said he does anticipate any charges against Anthony Broadhead, who was estranged from his wife and living elsewhere.

The fast-moving fire destroyed the double-wide mobile home where the family had lived for just five months and also left at least four rescuers injured.

Broadhead was booked on four counts of involuntary manslaughter and three counts of child abuse by neglect causing death.

"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 told the Sun. "We hope they find healing in this."

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