WICHITA

Ex-con enters plea to injuring infant

A man who spent six years in prison for inflicting near-fatal injuries to a Salina girl who later died has been convicted of breaking an arm and leg of a Wichita infant in September.

Ty Barnett, 38, pleaded no contest Thursday in Sedgwick County District Court to a felony count of aggravated battery for hurting a 1-month-old girl on Sept. 25. Prosecutors told the court that Barnett and the baby’s mother were in the apartment where the child lived when the injury occurred. Barnett was in the bedroom with the child, and the mother was on the telephone.

When first questioned by Wichita Police about the injuries, Barnett said he saw vomit on the baby, and that her arm got stuck in the crib as he tried to pick her up. Police said he later admitted that he picked the girl up by the arm, but said he didn’t know how her leg was broken.

Barnett, sentenced to more than seven years for the incident in Salina, came to Wichita after being paroled in 2001.

TOPEKA

Kansas Guard unit mobilized for war

For the third time in its 75-year history, members of the 2nd Battalion, 130th Field Artillery unit of the Army National Guard are mobilizing for war in Iraq.

The battalion, headquartered in Hiawatha, was notified Friday that it was being activated in support of the war.

The battalion has about 350 soldiers, with units in Abilene, Atchison, Concordia, Marysville, Horton, Sabetha, Salina and Troy.