A Whole New Level of Irresponsible Parenting

[Katie]

I'm tired of Earthquakes.

These "people" make me sick

Police: Couple nurtured virtual child while real baby starved.

Andrew Salmon for CNN
March 7, 2010 8:21 a.m. EST


Seoul, South Korea (CNN) -- Police have arrested a South Korean couple whose toddler starved to death while they were raising a virtual child online, authorities said.

The couple fed their 3-month-old daughter once a day between marathon stretches in a local Internet cafe, where they were raising a virtual child in the fantasy role-playing game Prius Online, police told local reporters Friday.

Prius Online is a 3-D game in which players nurture an online companion, Anima, a young girl with mysterious powers who grows and increases her skills as the game progresses.

Police have not identified the 41-year-old father and 25-year-old mother, who lived in Suwon, a suburb south of Seoul. But the father apologized, speaking to reporters.

"I wish that she hadn't got sick and that she will live well in heaven forever. And as the father, I am sorry," he said.

The baby reportedly died five months ago.

South Korea has one of the world's fastest broadband networks. Seoul has won international awards for e-governance. Online gaming teams are sponsored by major conglomerates and 24-hour, high-speed Internet cafes, known as PC Bangs, dot every urban neighborhood.

Police said the couple had lost their jobs and used the game as an escape from reality, especially after the birth of their premature baby.

"They instead played an online game in which they raised a virtual character so as to escape from reality, which led to the death of their real baby," Chung Jin-won, a police officer in Suwon, told Yonhap News Agency.

"South Korea remains a very conservative society so people who fall outside the norm can come under severe stress and pressure," said Michael Breen, the Seoul-based author of "The Koreans."

"The Internet has provided such people with a paradise to escape to and simply get lost in."

[Leo656]

I read about this in the paper. What the hell. What, in between getting up once every few days to presumably whiz and eat, there was just no time to go check on your kid?

Madness.

[Samhain]

Thats so pathetic. Those ''people'' should be put in jail for murder.

[Spacebabie]

RAGE SEETHES FLAILS.

How could anyone do that...GAH!

[BubblyShell22]

That's awful. They should be in prison.

[Katie]

so, these people were sent to jail today. they got two years.



makes me sick

[Samhain]

Originally Posted by Katie

so, these people were sent to jail today. they got two years.



makes me sick

Thats it. Jeezus. They should be put to death. A long, slow, painfull death. Just like thier baby.

[GoChan]

They should get fed once a day while in jail just to know how their kid felt.

[BubblyShell22]

They should be there for life.

[Lil G]

OMG. They would really starve their real baby to raise a virtual one? That's just sad

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Originally Posted by BubblyShell22

That's awful. They should be in prison.

And be banned from having children. If they get new, the police should take the children and send them to safe conditions.

[Eiko]

Very Very sad poor child.

[Slap-Happy]

Sick. These people should be put to death.

[shuriken]

Wow. It looks like these people are very distuirbed and need a lot of help. Unfortunately I think they'll just get worse in jail. Poor child never stood a chance. Either way it's no excuse not to feed your child.

[Lynn]

Just when I thought things couldn't get more disturbing...