GUILTY OK - Linda Beletzuy, 9 mos, shaken to death, Oklahoma City, 17 Aug 2011

[LCoastMom]

The problem here was lack of control on the boy's part when he was distracted by the baby. He could just as easily have been reading a book, watching television or playing with Legos.

He said he was frustrated by his player's death. Reading a book, watching TV, playing with Lego's doesn't require the same type of intense play these video games do.

I have a hard time picturing this violent outburst if he had been involved in something less "engaging". If he was such a "rageful" child that his baby sister's cries from hurting herself would cause him to erupt into violence, then the parents were negligent in leaving her in his care. I hope this isn't the case.

 

[Missizzy]

I worked out still shots on about ten Youtube videos and it was shocking to see the intense emotions being expressed by 7-14 year old boys while playing these games. As a mother of nine boys and a grandmother to four grandsons, the boys' reactions disturbed me greatly. They literally became fighting machines and that's just not necessary or prudent for young males in our society, IMO. Overstimulation causes permanent damage to the brain. Little boys were not designed to react the way a Navy SEAL does.

I cannot believe that we'd see the same intense anger over a broken Lego construction or torn book--unless the boy had problems with rage. Before I cast blame on those parents, I want to be certain that they knew this boy had that game. Boys are notorious for sneaking them into the home or getting into older siblings' or dads' games. Our family engaged in the most intensive milieu sort of parenting possible and I can't tell you how creative our boys got. We found adult video games wrapped in coats, stuffed down in their underwear, hidden in their sister's notebooks (for a little bribe). It looked shockingly like an addiction.

Did everyone notice Filly's earlier thread listed at the bottom of this page?

Two Year Old Fights For Life-beaten With Video Game Controller - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community

 

[LCoastMom]

Missizzy the who murdered baby Darisabel wasn't even playing VGs when he used that controller to beat her to death. He got up feeling ugly or something that day and used the controller and a boot (IIRC) on that precious angel because they were handy.

I've had friends tell me their kids snuck in adult games in cases that were rated E. I really have a problem with stores selling the adult games to kids and "friends" (including adults) loaning games to kids knowing their parents don't allow them in the house, believing there is no harm in it. My son played beginning as a young teen, his games were "hand picked" and he only pulled a fast one on me once (to my knowledge), that game met a hammer on the way to the trash.

There's enough violence in the world without kids pretending to be mass murderers (or whatever the point is) in HD.

 

[Missizzy]

Thank you for filling me in on the other case. I didn't read it first. I noticed that we have a few others, though, and it doesn't surprise me.

It's kids' "job" to try to pull a fast one but it's our job to catch them every time we can. That's how they define their boundaries and most parents are shocked that children really crave those boundaries as they can't yet control themselves. We knew that our boys occasionally played these games at friend's houses but I've always had a strong sense that if a child is imprinted to please you (what we worked on with bonding and what comes naturally in a healthy parent/child relationship) that a little voice inside their head will be whispering, "Oh, Mom would not like me doing this." That's all I want. A highly experienced probation officer once told me that "what parents forget is that shame is a very helpful tool". Those are wise words.

I've thought about the little boys on Youtube all day long and those are not the facial expressions I want to see on a child. That's what you'd see in a child living in a war zone or struggling for his life in a natural disaster and those events aren't ever forgotten. It changes their wiring at such a vulnerable time in their life. This should not be our society's goal for our little ones.

Watch some boys playing a tough game of basketball or soccer or even wrestling and you won't see that intensity. Their coaches wouldn't allow it to get to that point. They'd be sent to the bench or the showers. Little guys just don't know where to put those strong emotions. IMO, it's cruel to expect them to.

 

[wfgodot]

Parents of dead Oklahoma City baby charged with child neglect

Prosecutors filed a child neglect charge Wednesday against the parents of a baby girl who died after being left in her 13-year-old brother's care at an Oklahoma City apartment.

Carlos Beletzuy-Lopez, 36, and Linda W. Beletzuy, 30, were charged in Oklahoma County District Court.
---

more at Daily Oklahoman link above

 

[Peazzzer]

WOW! I too am among the ones asking where a 13 yo is a babysitter. I babysat at a very young age-9 and I did watch infants towards the end of 9. My brother and I also had a paper route then where we got many odd jobs for people too. What gets me about this is it seems in moo that this 13 yo was being babysat by the game to begin with. That is the age where you either are or are about to start high school and the need for physical activity, sports, etc is beginning, never mind the mass amt of homework they have! Can I expect a walking bag o testosterone to be capable? He is a kid himself ! I wonder how long he has been a latchkey kid? Wow. This breaks my heart in so many ways.

 

[LCoastMom]

Parents of dead Oklahoma City baby charged with child neglect<<snipped>>

Police originally had said the parents did nothing illegal and were not under investigation. The child neglect charge came after prosecutors urged police to focus on the possibility the parents were culpable in the death.

The mother said the 4-year-old boy had been telling her for three to four weeks that the baby “was crying a lot” while in Rivera's care, the detective wrote in a court affidavit.

http://newsok.com/parents-of-dead-oklahoma-city-baby-charged-with-child-neglect/article/3608416

I wondered if this was coming when the parents told inconsistent stories. Heartbreaking.

 

[OkieGranny]

From November 2012:

http://newsok.com/jurors-convict-oklahoma-city-teen-of-killing-baby-sister/article/3726688

A jury convicted a 14-year-old boy Thursday of killing his baby sister, rejecting claims she was fatally injured in a fall and favoring arguments he shook her because she interrupted his violent video game...

The judge set a Nov. 30 court date to adopt a treatment plan for the boy, who was prosecuted as a youthful offender and will avoid prison if he complies with a program administered by the office of juvenile affairs.

Rivera could be released within 12 months if he completes treatment, prosecutors said. But if he fails to complete his treatment plan or commits another crime he can be sent to prison for life.

The parents received deferred sentences for child neglect, according to Oklahoma County court records:

http://www.oscn.net/dockets/GetCaseInformation.aspx?db=oklahoma&cmid=2784998