alexgaddis Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 These people should be put to death... RENO, Nev. - 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." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmarc117 Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 disgusting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McNasty Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 Video game addiction seems like a strawman argument, to me. These people had issues way bigger than not being able to unplug from their D&D on-line games. I want to make a joke about the matted hair soaked in cat urine, because that almost sounds funny, but I can't get past the repulsion that this is a true story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Cid Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 Video game addiction seems like a strawman argument, to me. These people had issues way bigger than not being able to unplug from their D&D on-line games. I want to make a joke about the matted hair soaked in cat urine, because that almost sounds funny, but I can't get past the repulsion that this is a true story. I would tend to agree. This goes way beyond video game addiction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocknrobn26 Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 A great quote from the movie "Parenthood': Tod: "You know, Mrs. Buckman, you need a license to buy a dog, to drive a car - hell, you even need a license to catch a fish. But they'll let any butt-reaming a ss hole be a father." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McNasty Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 A great quote from the movie "Parenthood':Tod: "You know, Mrs. Buckman, you need a license to buy a dog, to drive a car - hell, you even need a license to catch a fish. But they'll let any butt-reaming a ss hole be a father." I was thinking of that same exact quote when I was typing my response. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KICK A$$ BLASTER Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 A great quote from the movie "Parenthood':Tod: "You know, Mrs. Buckman, you need a license to buy a dog, to drive a car - hell, you even need a license to catch a fish. But they'll let any butt-reaming a ss hole be a father." I was thinking of that quote but couldn't think of the movie... Thanks for sharing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coffeeman Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 Stories like this make me puke. On the other side, I rented Pursuit of Happyness and Blood Diamond this weekend. Two very inspiring (albiet very sad/shocking also) stories about the depth of a father's love for his son/family. One of which was based on a true story also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Irish Doggy Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 Video game addiction seems like a strawman argument, to me. These people had issues way bigger than not being able to unplug from their D&D on-line games. Indeed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hat Trick Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 They have two young kids, they get $50,000 and instead of saving for the future and FEEDING their children they run out and buy electronics. I'd bet a pretty penny they're some major trailor trash! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H8tank Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 I'd bet a pretty penny they're some major trailor trash! I am offended. Atomoranic is reporting you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdrudge Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 A friend of mine has a brother in law that hasn't been able to hold down a real job in I don't know how long, doesn't spend time with family/friends, refuses to do anything unless it has something to do with online gaming or one of several different trading card games (Spellfire, Magic: The Gathering, etc). He was fired from his last real job long ago because of job performance due to the game and taking several hour lunches...to play games. He has a college degree, but has let his family waste away because of it. Due to his financial instability, their home was recently foreclosed and he's drained almost all of his parents retirement money out of thier savings because they had to support him. Most meals are Spaghetti-Ohs or something similar because it's cheap and quick and he can get to other more important things...like playing games. While it wasn't as bad as the couple in the news article, I can definitely see how it happens although I don't understand how people can let it get that far without realizing how nucking futs their life and faimily situation is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursa Majoris Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 he's drained almost all of his parents retirement money out of thier savings because they had to support him. For the life of me I don't get this. There is no way whatsoever I would blow my retirement savings on some feckless lazyass turd even if he/she was my blood relation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Country Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 They have two young kids, they get $50,000 and instead of saving for the future and FEEDING their children they run out and buy electronics. I'd bet a pretty penny they're some major trailor trash! SO, am I to giess that you would not buy up electronics if you were to inherit 50 to 100k? I'm gonna go check to see if you responded to that thread we had going last week about that.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zmanzzzz Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 anyone play that game? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
broncosn05 Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 anyone play that game? ghey. I don't buy the story either. How do you have food but not feed the kids? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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