Poop Man Bob Posted July 15, 2007 Share Posted July 15, 2007 Prosecutor: Couple obsessed with online games starved babies Associated Press RENO, Nev. — A couple authorities say were so obsessed with the Internet and video games that they left their babies starving and suffering other health problems have pleaded guilty to child neglect. The children of Michael and Iana Straw, a boy age 22 months and a girl age 11 months, were severely malnourished and near death last month when doctors saw them after social workers took them to a hospital, authorities said. Both children are doing well and gaining weight in foster care, prosecutor Kelli Ann Viloria told the Reno Gazette-Journal. Michael Straw, 25, and Iana Straw, 23, pleaded guilty Friday to two counts each of child neglect. Each faces a maximum 12-year prison sentence. Viloria said the Reno couple were too distracted by online video games, mainly the fantasy role-playing "Dungeons & Dragons" series, to give their children proper care. "They had food; they just chose not to give it to their kids because they were too busy playing video games," Viloria told the Reno Gazette-Journal. Police said hospital staff had to shave the head of the girl because her hair was matted with cat urine. The 10-pound girl also 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, investigators said. The Straws have been given public defenders. Jeremy Bosler, head of the county public defender's office, declined to comment to the Associated Press on Saturday. Michael Straw is an unemployed cashier, and his wife worked for a temporary staffing agency doing warehouse work, according to court records. He received a $50,000 inheritance that he spent on computer equipment and a large plasma television, authorities said. While child abuse because of drug addiction is common, abuse rooted in video game addiction is rare, Viloria said. Last month, experts at an American Medical Association meeting backed away from a proposal to designate video game addiction as a mental disorder, saying it had to be studied further. Some said the issue is like alcoholism, while others said there was no concrete evidence it's a psychological disease. Patrick Killen, spokesman for Nevada Child Abuse Prevention, said video game addiction's correlation to child abuse is "a new spin on an old problem." "As we become more technologically advanced, there's more distractions," Killen said. "It's easy for someone to get addicted to something and neglect their children. Whether it's video games or meth, it's a serious issue, and (we) need to become more aware of it." Link. "Ye shall not eat until Sir Gallant the Corpulent becomes a level 19 cleric!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnum OPiss Posted July 15, 2007 Share Posted July 15, 2007 Whether it's video games or meth, Ok I've never needed a video game bad enough to rob someone or suck some dick for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quaranta-Due Posted July 15, 2007 Share Posted July 15, 2007 But you have needed meth that bad??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 15, 2007 Share Posted July 15, 2007 He received a $50,000 inheritance that he spent on computer equipment and a large plasma television, authorities said.haha classy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnum OPiss Posted July 15, 2007 Share Posted July 15, 2007 Not really Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crime stoppers Posted July 15, 2007 Share Posted July 15, 2007 Thats sad, i don't know how to say it but that is plain f'd in the a. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knim_One Posted July 15, 2007 Share Posted July 15, 2007 i didnt click the link cause based on the picture i decided this CANNOT be real. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrChupacabra Posted July 15, 2007 Share Posted July 15, 2007 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lord_casek Posted July 15, 2007 Share Posted July 15, 2007 it doesn't surprise me any more. these fucking games are corrupting people. look at china, they have factories for world of warcraft gold mining and weapon making. fuckign sick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knim_One Posted July 15, 2007 Share Posted July 15, 2007 LIGHTNING BOLT LIGHTNING BOLT UGH UGH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAR Posted July 15, 2007 Share Posted July 15, 2007 it doesn't surprise me any more. these fucking games are corrupting people. look at china, they have factories for world of warcraft gold mining and weapon making. fuckign sick. what the fuck?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*PROTOCOL* Posted July 15, 2007 Share Posted July 15, 2007 I heard they accepted a plea bargain after agreeing to cast "cure3" on the kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boner9000 Posted July 15, 2007 Share Posted July 15, 2007 ^^^ holy shit hahahah i'm not sure what's more disgusting; matted cat urine hair, or the fact that these people actually fucked at least twice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grim540 Posted July 15, 2007 Share Posted July 15, 2007 magic missile!! mmmmagic missile!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poop Man Bob Posted July 15, 2007 Author Share Posted July 15, 2007 i didnt click the link cause based on the picture i decided this CANNOT be real. Picture is just a google image search for "nerd" - the story, however, is real. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lord_casek Posted July 15, 2007 Share Posted July 15, 2007 what the fuck?! i'm not joking. sweatshops. plenty of news on this shit. http://observer.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,6903,1436411,00.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LIVERWURST* Posted July 15, 2007 Share Posted July 15, 2007 I'm installing Civilization 4 as we speak. I'm a few years late. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mellow Posted July 15, 2007 Share Posted July 15, 2007 i heard about that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lord_casek Posted July 15, 2007 Share Posted July 15, 2007 I'm installing Civilization 4 as we speak. I'm a few years late. that game just fucking rocks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Jefe Uno Posted July 15, 2007 Share Posted July 15, 2007 Michael Straw is an unemployed cashier If he's unemployed, how the fuck is he a cashier? I mean, I understand something like "unemployed architect" for example, but I didn't realize cashier was a career or something that took extensive education Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CALIgula Posted July 15, 2007 Share Posted July 15, 2007 sherock.....whats wrong with the people in your neck of the woods? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J B Suspecto Posted July 15, 2007 Share Posted July 15, 2007 Computer games are really going too far these days. When I was a kid you could finish shit like Mario Bros in a few sittings if you where keen, now it takes months! Its not surprising really though, if you put enough money into research to find out what will keep gamers hooked on gaming, eventually your going to crack it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PUMPKIN ESCOBAR Posted July 15, 2007 Share Posted July 15, 2007 I heard they accepted a plea bargain after agreeing to cast "cure3" on the kids. Nice. But that lighting bolt shit is killer, I want to rush a LARP convention and go "PAINTBALL GUN! PAINTBALL GUN!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawood Posted July 15, 2007 Share Posted July 15, 2007 damn, dude, I don't even know what to say. Is that ricture really one of them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fat ralphy Posted July 15, 2007 Share Posted July 15, 2007 3 words: KILL THESE FUCKS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAR Posted July 15, 2007 Share Posted July 15, 2007 i'm not joking. sweatshops. plenty of news on this shit. http://observer.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,6903,1436411,00.html Frankly, I'm appalled. Not with the foreign work situations, not with the games, but at the people who are willing to pay over 500 dollars for a video game, abandon their kids, and sacrifice their jobs. What would compel a person to do that? Are their lives really that bad, and if so are they so lazy that they'd rather become escapist then pursue a better life? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lord_casek Posted July 15, 2007 Share Posted July 15, 2007 Frankly, I'm appalled. Not with the foreign work situations, not with the games, but at the people who are willing to pay over 500 dollars for a video game, abandon their kids, and sacrifice their jobs. What would compel a person to do that? Are their lives really that bad, and if so are they so lazy that they'd rather become escapist then pursue a better life? as am i. it makes me sad knowing that people have become so dumbed down (especially americans). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceLeroy Posted July 15, 2007 Share Posted July 15, 2007 haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
^ . ^ Posted July 15, 2007 Share Posted July 15, 2007 fuckin faggots. seriosly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greensleeves Posted July 15, 2007 Share Posted July 15, 2007 maybe they found the +5 Babykiller coat of arms in the caves of neglect. it also has mana resistence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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