Parents play videogames instead of playing “Parenting”

July 16, 2007 at 7:09 am by swivel  

In 2005 a Korean couple let their baby starve to death while they played World of Warcraft during every waking moment.

And once again, videogames are blamed for the neglect of young children. This time it was a 22-month-old boy and an 11-month-old girl. The girl was coated in cat urine, so her hair had to be shaved off. They had infections, were extremely underweight, had dry skin, and were both dehydrated.

The parents insist they were doing nothing wrong and that halflings are supposed to look that way. The only good news here is that Iana Straw, the mother, finally hit level 60 with her Elven Mage. To celebrate, they are trying to get pregnant again. You suffer one point of permanent loss to your INT.

Source | Ongoing discussions

(Picture above is NOT related to this story. It is a kid that I feed for only $1 a day)

Reno – Michael Straw, 25, and Iana Straw, 23, have both pleaded guilty Friday to two counts each of child neglect. Each faces a maximum 12-year prison sentence. They were so addicted to the internet and video games, in particular, the fantasy role-playing Dungeons & Dragons, that their children, ages 11-months and 22-month, went hungry and had various health problems.

The couple were arrested in June after a neighbor complained to police about a baby’s constant crying. An officer’s visit prompted social workers to investigate and ultimately take the children to the hospital where doctors said they were severely malnourished and were on the verge of death, police said., authorities said. Hospital staff had to shave the head of the girl because her hair was matted with cat urine, she had a mouth infection, dry skin and severe dehydration. Her brother had to be treated for starvation and a genital infection. His lack of muscle development caused him difficulty in walking.

“They had food; they just chose not to give it to their kids because they were too busy playing video games,” prosecutor Kelli Ann Viloria told the Reno Gazette-Journal.

Court records show that Michael Straw is an unemployed cashier, and his wife worked for a temporary staffing agency doing warehouse work. Michael Straw received a $50,000 inheritance that he spent on computer equipment and a large plasma television, authorities said.

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