[The_Egg]

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."

Wow i bet they kicked ass at those video games...


Bunch of fucking losers right there. I cant see how there kids screaming did not drive them fucking mad anyway. I hope a rat pees on there head while sitting in prison.

[taco]

that reminds me...........

[TheBagman]

God damn.

[Johny Badass]

Hope a rat crawls up there pee holes and lays it's eggs in her uterus and his stomach.

[Johny Badass]

and then the diseased rats shit live worms, it will bring new meaning to the term "full of worms."

[taco]

Ive never heard this term "full of worms" , please enlighten me.

[ßü††|맧]

a boy age 22 months and a girl age 11 months

Good to see they included time to create more like themselves.
Maybe people should have to get a license to have children. I just saying...

[Slutter McGee]

Originally Posted by ßü††|맧

Good to see they included time to create more like themselves.
Maybe people should have to get a license to have children. I just saying...

The problem here is simple. We saved the children thus reversing the process of natural selection. Now their children will also breed someday and so on.

Sincerely,

Slutter McGee

[TacoSusio]

the meek shall inherit the earth?

[taco]

I need someone to die.....

[The_Kelzor]

who gives a shit...when i was 2, my parents became addicted to crack and would leave me watching sesame street and hardcore porno for 20 hours a day while they sold their bodies for their next hit...did i fucking starve?? no...i was able to feed myself and learn how to bottle up all of my emotions and feelings in a tight ball and push it down deep in my stomach...yeah...fuck those kids

[elroypornlab]

That's way to fucked up!

[TheBagman]

Originally Posted by The_Kelzor

who gives a shit...when i was 2, my parents became addicted to crack and would leave me watching sesame street and hardcore porno for 20 hours a day while they sold their bodies for their next hit...did i fucking starve?? no...i was able to feed myself and learn how to bottle up all of my emotions and feelings in a tight ball and push it down deep in my stomach...yeah...fuck those kids

Kelzor, and Slutter has a point. We just saved these kids. Now they are likely to breed. Thank the government for stepping in and dooming the entire human race.