Unless you have been camping in the Upper Peninsula without cell service for over a month now, you have probably heard about the Pokemon Go craze that has taken the world by storm. There have been news reports of people walking off cliffs, strolling in front of moving cars, and breaking into private property in order to find Pokemon characters.
But this recent incident actually got CPS called on a couple who allegedly left their 2-year-old at home while they were out hunting for pokemon characters. Although this particular instance took place in Arizona, not Michigan, we felt it was worth sharing, as the Pokemon Go craze is just as widespread here in the State of Michigan as it is in other parts of the country.
According to media sources, a young couple have been indicted by a grand jury for leaving their young son unattended for one and a half hours to search for Pokemon Go characters. Police were apparently called to the couple’s home, located in the southeastern Phoenix suburb of San Tan Valley, by the neighbours, who noticed the little boy crying outside in the yard.
Police say that the toddler was barefoot, dressed in only a diaper and a T-shirt, and was found roaming around unattended outside, crying for his parents in 96 degree heat. Officers said they arrived at the home to discover the child wailing at the door of his house, trying to get back inside. He was described by officers as being “red-faced, sweaty and dirty.“
Officers said that the house was unlocked and had three dogs inside, but no adults. When deputies called the parents to tell them that their child had been found alone outside, 27-year-old Brent Daley allegedly responded by saying, “whatever” and hanging up the phone. It apparently took the couple another hour before they returned home.
When Daley and his 26-year-old wife Brianna Daley finally returned to their house, they told police that they had left to get gas while their son was sleeping. This version was changed however, when they later admitted to having gone in search of Pokemon Go characters in their neighborhood. Both Daley’s were arrested.
The couple are now facing child abuse charges for neglect and endangerment. In addition, their young son was taken into state custody by the Arizona Department of Child Safety, which is the equivalent of Michigan’s Child Protective Services (CPS). It remains to be seen what is going to happen with the Daley family, but this incident could easily have been avoided by simply taking the child with them when they left.
In case you haven’t played it yet, here’s what you need to know. Pokemon Go was designed by Niantic as a free game for iOS and Android devices. It is a location-based augmented reality game that allows players to hunt for pokemon creatures that are visible in real time, but only when viewed through the screen of a mobile device.