NV - Parents Neglect Starved Babies to Feed Video Game Addiction

[shdbepaintin]

Don't you suppose that these idiots took time to eat and drink themselves?
How hard would it have been to fill up a bottle and/or throw some cereal on the floor. I just can't imagine this. How can anyone ignore the needs of their child? I know it happens and worse but it just slays me.

 

[KatK]

The biggest problem that I see, is neither one of them wanted to be parents, they wanted to still be teenagers. That is why they "escaped" via playing Dungeon and Dragons online, instead of facing reality and taking care of their children. Both of them are narcissitic I'd wager. (I don't play that game, but I found the official site for the game here.) ETA: I believe you have to pay a fee to play that game as well. The games I play, Guild Wars and Anarchy Online are free. AO the core game is free period. GW, once you buy the game disc there is no monthly fee to play. I haven't played either much lately as well, been too busy with other things, IRL.

:twocents: They should have had the courage to either give the children up for adoption, or have abortions. They should have faced the fact that they didn't want to be parents, and acted on it. It's ok, to not want to be a parent, and to ensure that you don't become one. I'd rather a lot more people did this, than do what the "people" in that news article did to those poor babies! :furious:

 

[KatK]

After a LOT of searching I found the subscription costs for the game. It isn't too bad, not as pricey as Worlds of Warcraft. ETA: Correction, it's about the same as WoW. Everquest I think is more expensive than both now. Coming back to add, for some people, they'd rather pay a subscription fee and just not go to the movies as often. Fifteen dollars a month is less than many spend going to the movies, out to eat, or on books, cds and dvds, just to give a little perspective.

Dungeons and Dragons Online is available at a suggested retail price of $29.95 and includes thirty days of subscription time. After the first month, players will be charged a monthly subscription fee of $14.99 per month.

• Players can purchase multiple months of subscription time in advance at a discounted rate.*
• Purchase a three month subscription for a one-time fee of $41.85 (equivalent to $13.95 per month).
• Purchase a six month subscription for a one-time fee of $77.70 (equivalent to 12.95 per month).
• Purchase a one year subscription for a one-time fee of $143.40 (equivalent to $11.95 per month).

 

[oceanblueeyes]

Parents Neglect Starved Babies to Feed Video Game Addiction

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.


~much more at link~

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,289331,00.html

I just heard on CNN the other day that attorneys are beginning to use this in other cases even using this excuse why some kill. Said they were addicted to video and on line gaming.

They even said they are trying to get insurance companies to cover it and pay for treatment since they think it is a severe addiction just like drugs or alcohol.

imoo

 

[KatK]

So long as they give narcissism and refusal to grow up the same treatment. People who are prone to addictive behavior can obsess over *ANYTHING*. Drinking, drugs, gambling, television (like soap operas), chat rooms, /sex, shopping, online gaming, and daredevil stunts. I have read of cases in which parents neglected their kids for almost every one of those, the exception being the daredevil stunts. (By that I mean skateboarding, race-car driving, parachuting, bungee jumping, base jumping, hang-gliding, dirt biking and all the "extreme" sports that adrenaline junkies like. There are absentee fathers who'd rather dirt bike then be a dad, for example.) Addiction is a problem, but I don't think it's a free pass either. Also, I'd bet that those who are hooked on online gaming have at least one other addiction. I noted on Mr. Straw's MySpace page that he seemed to like to drink heavily. So, the online gaming obsession isn't the biggest problem. The biggest problem is, they are choosing "escapism" instead of dealing with life. If it wasn't online games, it would probably be something else. Such people need to have their "addictive personality" addressed, not just one facet (i.e. one addiction) of the problem.

ETA:

So long as they give narcissism and refusal to grow up the same treatment.

My point with this phrase was, they won't, and they shouldn't.

 

[CaliKid]

When questioned at the hospital, the couple claimed the children ate a lot, so much that Viloria said it would have been impossible for children in their condition to have consumed that much food or formula.

Excuses, excuses. Well there's a simple solution- take the kids away, and the parents will have all the time in the world for their online obsessions. Oh, I mean once they get out of jail for child abuse.

 

[Dena]

This is absolutely ridiculous! My husband and I are "gamers", meaning, it's what we enjoy doing in our spare time. I play on-line games and he plays Xbox 360. I am "addicted" to Guitar Hero 2.
On occasion if I'm playing while he's not napping, if he needs me, there's a pause button. PAUSE BUTTON!
He'll clap for me when a song ends and ask me if I'm done.
It has nothing to do with video games and everything to do with the parents.

 

[Belinda]

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.

BBM. In our dreams.

Michael Straw

Offense: 2 counts Child Abuse/Neglect
Sentence: 12 months to 48 months each

Start Date: 06/07/2007
Release Date: 11/11/2008

Grand Total: 17 months

Iana Straw

Offense: 2 counts Child Abuse/Neglect
Sentence: 12 months - 48 months each

Start Date: 06/03/2007
Release Date: 09/08/2008

Grand Total: 15 months

Well, I'm sure 15 & 17 months seems like 12 years to someone. I'm just not sure who.

 

[tlcya]

Sheesh. Wanna lay odds on what they are doing right now? Bet they have discovered the joys of World of Warcraft by now.

And before the gamers start jumping all over me, not saying all WoW players are spoiled parents who neglect their children.

But my own adult son is heavily wrapped up in this game, I worry to the detriment of getting his life together, finding employemtn and supporting my beautiful grandbabies.

And thank you Belinda, as always for providing the followup on sentencing and release.

 

[Jenni979]

I wonder if they tried getting their kids back when they got out...?

 

[Belinda]

I wish I knew how to find that out, Jenni.

 

[Jenni979]

I checked the MySpace pages... Her's are all down, but his has been revamped...

It says he is trying to remodel his life, he is in a "minimulist phase" or some such crap...

I didn't see anything about the kids, though... But, I didn't look that hard.

It did say he was SINGLE and a PROUD PARENT, though...

 

[Belinda]

Oh, he's in a minimalist stage, eh? Like, just him and his X-box? Egads.

 

[Jenni979]

I am thinking maybe he doesn't see the kids...

He has photos of them up but the last one is from like 2006.

I hope that those sweet babies have ben adopted by a loving couple.

 

[alsmom]

From his blog it seems his wife left him and his kids were with his parents. He was working with CPS so I don't know. He sounds as though he might have a hoarding problem to me. No excuse for not feeding your kids though. That goes from him and his wife.

His last sign on to MS was Dec 09. I couldn't find a facebook for him. I didn't look very hard though.

 

[Jenni979]

I found their divorce online... Neither was awarded child support, so I guess the kids are still at a relative's...

 

[Belinda]

We can only hope they have both grown up a great deal through this experience.

 

[Angels_Not_Forgotten]

*sigh* round two anyone? really...it took the children more time to gain weight then they received.

 

[alsmom]

I found their divorce online... Neither was awarded child support, so I guess the kids are still at a relative's...

Do they sometimes not award support if the parents have 50/50 custody? I'm not sure. In this case one parent seems as good/bad as the other. At this point, if neither have the kids, I would say that one or both would have had their rights terminated and the kids adopted out possibly/probably to relatives. They try to do that in under a year these days. I'm not sure what they do when the parents are incarcerated with a release date before the child turns 18. I have a feeling they lost the children. Probably out making more :sick: On a high note, if the parental rights are terminated and you have another child, most of the time CPS is in your life immediately upon the birth.

Sorry about this post. I was having random thoughts as I was typing/rambling.

 

[Belinda]

I can't imagine that they would have given the children back, certainly not at this point in time, if ever. However, I have read some pretty scary stories of kids being "reunified" into the highly abusive situation they were removed from to begin with. Frankly, we don't even know that they want the kids back. They may be just as happy to have them taken care of by someone else. Especially if it is a family member and they can still visit without having to do any real work.