Parents Played Video Games As Kids Starved

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 was 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."

[jimmiehov]

You should not have allowed the comment from eyedrive1. Her/his comment about atheism is off the wall as you didn't say one thing about about it.
I.e. just 'drivel' from 'eyedrivel.'

I do believe 'eyedrivel' is under the conviction of The Holy spirit!
Most people call themselves aithiests as a cop out, because otherwise they would have to decide if Christ really died for them.

Please, let's keep on figuring out how to help these and other poor kids and leave our soapbox stuff about other matters at home!
..

[eyedrive1]

I've seen two posts on atheism on this board. I, personally am not an atheist but I cannot for the life of me see how that makes any difference at all in this case. Not everyone believes in God, that is their right, but being atheist does not make one a bad parent. Given how many people are atheists, and how many of those are wonderful parents I see no relationship to what happened here. Please leave your religion at the door. Two psychotic people have nearly killed their children, religion or not.I have known many atheists in my life, and they have been very nice, decent people. Why blame religion or the lack of it on how individuals behave? Are you that blinded by your various churches to be unable to see people on the basis of what they do instead of what if any their religious beliefs are? There are none so blind as those who will not see. How many "religious" people are murderers, rapists etc? Is that why the Catholic Church (just to pick an example religion) has just been ordered to pay 660 million dollars in the L.A. diocese alone to atone for molesting children in their churches? Give me a sane atheist instead of an insane "true believer" anytime.

[rushman71]

I'm greatful that I don't play video games as much, if at all, as I used to. Games are cool, but they tend to get boring after a while. I do hope these kids get a better family than what they originaly had--someone with more parental responsibility.

[luckygirl042]

Those babies had to be crying, they had to see how bad off those children were. The video game excuse has to be bogus. They just simply neglected the poor kids out of stupidity and selfishness. If it is true, they should be put into cells next to area with video games that are off limits to them. That should make them suffer. The worst of it is, they will do a short period of time in jail and then get out to make more babies to abuse and neglect. I'm sure they would be too distracted to use birth control. Also,
why do all the morons inherit or fall into lots of money?

[Cru Jonez]

"Looks like their parents did a good job, for athiests. Like the schools teach, they have feelings, their money and their stuff is most important above all things. Mabey we should take religon outta schools and put christianity back in." - mopheadad

Wait, is that you, Michael Straw? They let you post to this site from jail???

[mopheadad]

Looks like their parents did a good job, for athiests. Like the schools teach, they have feelings, their money and their stuff is most important above all things. Mabey we should take religon outta schools and put christianity back in.

[ndg1979]

As if we thought our world could get any worse. I truly believe that it is time to declare addiction to technology as a mental disorder. If you can block out the crying, yelling and general needs of those unable to care for themselves, you should be deemed mentally unfit to participate in society.

These two individuals should actually go on trial for attempted murder. They were murdering their children by starving them to death. The thought to not feed them was premeditated, which would mean murder if they had died. Give them countless years in prison with the stipulation that they not be allowed contact with any form of technology (TV, Internet, Video Games, Telephone, etc...). Perhaps a couple of decades of good old-fashioned reading will change their tune.

Yes folks, here is your glass of water and crust of bread for each meal of your day. Oops, just kidding!

[janeyre-2009]

I have nothing to say... Well, I hope the children will receive love from strangers...

[michellem99-2009]

It is too easy to have children and be dumb. So how do you educate the young. The seeing ones. Little girls are given dolls to play with. I played with boys toys. Why are girls given dolls.Is it to play Mum. I see them with dolls as if their babies. What message is that sending the girls. Children in their teens have babies and Mum was i6. She was forced out of high school.17 gave birth to me a blind and multi handicapped. Mum married and gave birth to me. She never boned with me. In 59 walked from Dad and us for another man. Went in to bad foster homes then a blind centre. We have to reach the girls and instill in them a baby is a living thing that is demaming. We have to or this abuse will happen. The same for boys in this matter.

[tibu987]

Just when you are trying to make sense of a world gone mad, you come upon a story like this.
It is not enough to say that there will always be a few bad apples that spoil things for everyone.
Thankfully, the authorities came upon this one and took away the children. How many more like them are there?