Child Neglect Blamed on Parents' Video Game Obsession

A Nevada couple is facing child neglect charges after their babies were found malnourished and near death last month. Apparently, the couple was so distracted by online video games - in particular, the Dungeons and Dragons series - they forgot to give their children proper care. Prosecutor Kelli Ann Viloria told the Reno Gazette-Journal, "They had food; they just chose not to give it to their kids because they were too busy playing video games." The prosecutor claims seeing many similar cases due to drug addiction, but video game addiction to this extent and consequence is rare.

Beside the malnutrition, the neglect extended to other medical complications due to poor hygiene; the girl's head had to be shaved because it was so matted with cat urine, and the boy had a genital infection and had trouble walking as a result of poor muscle development. The children are now doing well and gaining weight in foster care according to prosecutor Viloria.

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