A young couple in Arizona abandoned their child for more than an hour to play "Pokémon GO," Niantic 's latest augmented reality game that has taken the world by storm. The couple reportedly left their 2-year-old son alone to hunt the virtual creatures in their suburban neighbourhood in southeast Phoenix.
Brett Daley, 27, and Brianna Daley, 25, were arrested by police after a neighbour found the toddler screaming, crying, and trying to get inside the couple's home in San Tan Valley, Tulsa World reported (via The Associated Press). The neighbour who dialled 911 said the boy was red-faced, dirty, barefoot, and was wearing a diaper and a T-shirt when he was found at 10:30 PM on Thursday night, according to the Pinal County Sheriff's Office. He was without water in the 90-degree heat, according to NBC News.
Deputies found Brent Daley's phone number in the couple's home. After they called and told him that his child was left alone, Daley allegedly replied, "Whatever" and hung up the phone.
At first, the Daleys told police that they left the child for 90 minutes to buy gas, but eventually confessed that they played "Pokémon GO" in their neighborhood. Sheriff Paul Babeu said the couple's actions were "beyond comprehension" and that they can't understand how parents could abandon a young child unattended just to play a smartphone game.
The couple's son has been handed to Arizona's child-protection agency. The Daleys are being accused of child endangerment and child neglect.
Though "Pokémon GO" is considered by many users as a fun endeavor, some players have ended up face-to-face with law enforcement officials due to accidents related to the game. In Baltimore, Maryland, a driver found out that "Pokémon GO" is not all fun and games when he crashed his SUV into a parked police car.
The driver, who admitted his wrongdoing, was distracted with the game while he was behind the wheel, The Huffington Post reported. In Las Vegas, a man was shot by one "Pokémon Go" player after he tried to rob the group of gamers, according to The Las Vegas Sun.
In Sydney, Australia, an area in Rhodes called Peg Paterson Park was regularly visited by flocks of "Pokémon GO" players. The site was normally a quiet and peaceful place but it saw heavy influx of visitors when it became a PokéStop where rare Pokémons can be found.
The park's physical appearance suffered due to the "Pokémon GO" crowd, GameSpot reported. There were increased noises, vandalisms, heavy traffic flow, and huge amounts of trash.
