1-year-old girl found unharmed after 12 hours inside car in Nevada desert; mother arrested
By APFriday, March 26, 2010
Child found in car in Nevada desert; mom arrested
LAS VEGAS — Police say a 20-year-old mother has been charged with felony child neglect after she locked her 1-year-old daughter in a car for more than 12 hours in the Nevada desert.
Police officer Barbara Morgan says Diana Ruiz was arrested Friday after telling police her Ford Focus got stuck early Thursday in a remote area while she tried to drive a shortcut in the dark from Las Vegas to Sandy Valley.
Ruiz told investigators she accidentally locked her keys and her daughter in the car before seeking help around dawn at a nearby home. A man with an all-terrain vehicle helped, but they couldn’t find her car again.
A police search and rescue helicopter found the car and the child after 3 p.m. Thursday.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Police say a 1-year-old girl was rescued in good condition after 14 hours in a vehicle in the desert outside Las Vegas.
Police officer Bill Cassell says the Ford Focus got stuck early Thursday about seven miles south of a state highway when the girl’s mother tried to drive a dirt shortcut in the dark from Las Vegas to the community of Sandy Valley.
After the car got stuck, the mother accidentally locked with the keys inside. She sought help at a nearby home and a man with an all-terrain vehicle helped search, but they couldn’t find her car again.
Police were notified about 3 p.m. Thursday, and Cassell says a police search and rescue helicopter quickly found the vehicle and the child inside.
Information from: KLAS-TV, www.klas-tv.com
