Internet-Obsessed Couple Let Kids Starve AP Posted: 2007-07-15 19:54:48 RENO, Nev. (July 15) - A couple who 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." Damn, never heard of an addiction to video games and shit that is this crazy.............
Really sad that people get so taken in by games neglecting their child. God damn I can't stand these type of parents >.<
Pity the children... How could the parents... If they wanted to play games right after work and nothing else they shouldn't have children... They should have more severe punishments.
For a damn stupid game you will neglect ur kids then why dont they quit their job and everything else while they are at it
They gotta represent that double D-town baby. Can't expect them to pay for ish like FOOD. Keep that internets run'n, baby. Can't stop won't stop! Seriously though, they should get banned form the internet for life! No! They should be locked up and then have a state of the art pc placed right outside their cell with D & D ready to go on a 100 inch ULTRA HD screen and then have some ultra noob player play on the pc and do everything wrong to piss em off! >=D
i don't think this couple wanted to have children in the first place... ehh. probably got too poor paying electricity bills to buy condoms...
Totally despicable persons these 'parents' preferring a RPG over taking care of their own helpless flesh and blood. They should have taken precautions if they didn't to have want kids. Good thing the social workers somehow knew about the children's situation.
that is DISGUSTING. that couple should get a far more worse punishment for this. their own chicldren! and they were both babies too, didn't have a chance to learn or do things on their own. not being cared for while their IDIOTIC mother and father are too busy playing on the computer. i feel so bad for those babies. :(
