Boy found dead, parents blamed Call of Duty and video game addiction

[Shawn-XBA]

Brandon Crisp, a young boy, had been missing up until today when he was found dead. Brandon ran away from his home after his parents took away his Xbox 360. His parents took possession of the console after they decided Brandon had become addicted to Call of Duty 4. Initially, Brandon’s parents believed that the boy’s disappearance was somehow related to his addiction to video games. It was only after investigators analyzed Brandon’s Xbox 360 analyzed that the link between video games and his disappearance were no longer tied together.

“It’s still being analyzed a little further, but at this point we have no reason to believe there is any connection to date between the Xbox and his disappearance,” Sgt. Goodbrand

Dr. David Walsh of the National Institute on Media and the Family commented on the situation and strongly states that video game companies do not want to address video game addiction.

“I don’t think [video game companies] want to touch addiction with a 10-foot pole. It raises all sorts of liability issues for them. And my interpretation is that their strategy is to ignore it and hope it will go away. If you talk to front-line counsellors in places like universities they’ll tell you that this is a huge issue. The way people are viewing this is changing quickly.”

--

Sounds like he ran away because they punished him, not because of a "game addiction". Why do parents always try to blame it on games or TV? He ran away because he was punished.

Its sad to see a young kid lose their life.

[ll Mista GT ll]

How did he die? Thats the only part missing in the story.

[Shawn-XBA]

I was wondering the same thing, doesn't state how he died or where he was even found.

[Ainokeatoo]

I don't get how Call of duty had anything to do with his disappearance or his death. To be honest, if there aren't a bunch of kids shooting at each other behind bunkers spewing hateful russian/english swear words at each other. Then the game should not be to blame, Video game addiction should not come into play in this incident. I mean, Canada MS even put up 50K to get this kid home safely did they not?

[CrazyCougar]

I do believe that games can influence some minds of the younger generation and cause them to do some stupid crap, but thats on the parents for allowing them to play games that could do just that. But this story is just a bit on the ridiculous side.

Kids these days are very influential with the things they watch and play. Its common place now for foul language to be used in prime time television programs but when I was growing up you were lucky if you heard any kind of profanity unless it was HBO. Different times.

[ChessPieceFace]

I think video game addiction exists. I have a friend who pretty much all he does is play games all the time. I know its a hobby , but there comes a point when real life takes a back seat.

[Ainokeatoo]

I think video game addiction exists. I have a friend who pretty much all he does is play games all the time. I know its a hobby , but there comes a point when real life takes a back seat.

I don't believe it's an addiction, I believe it's a hobby. There are the chosen few who treat it as an addiction mainly children some adults few and far between. If he does it all the time, and goes crazy when you take it away then I agree.

I play video games all the time, I don't consider myself addicted, though it sucks when I can't play, I don't think about it or 'need' it all the time. Shoot, I get bored half the time and pass out in the middle of games just for the fact that I'm bored. There are some people who have video games on their mind, all the time, but there are more that do play games a lot and don't have the 'addiction' you know?

So far as influence goes, I agree with CC. This kinda reminds me of this T.V. show that was on, I think it was an episode of Law and Order. Anyways, it was a case with some kid running over and beating this lady doing what they saw in a video game. Mind you, grown kids, slightly over eighteen. The defense tried to justify their actions with ridiculous claims, saying they had no control over their actions because they were influenced over a video game.

Honestly, blaming video games for deaths is almost ridiculous, minus the cases in which it's clearly because of video games which is few. I do believe there are some people that can handle video games and some who can't. Some who can differentiate reality and virtual, and some who can't. Those who can't should not be playing these games, the kids who can't, parents should not buy the game for them. It's plain and simple, that's why there is an ESRB rating on the games.

Parents, are to blame more so than video game companies, minus the few cases where video game companies 'may' be to blame.

[Enamelized420]

That is just crazy and to put blame on a video game for the cause is just insane... If the boy wasn't old enough to play COD then the parents shouldn't have purchased it for him. Seems from the info he left from the punishment his parents handed down but what could drive a kid to kill himself is beyond me... Life isn't that tough, especially when you're young

[mattgame]

Well, first of all let's solve the murder first. His father did it. His father got angry about his sons behavior, killed him and said he ran away to cover it up. They have had a great deal of problems in that household and the videogame was the last straw. It's gonna come out.

Addiction can apply to anything, from sex, to drugs, to food, to even weightlifting. If you do anything to the point of being dysfunctional in all areas of your life then you can be diagnosed as being addicted. So you can be addicted to videogames. You are addicted if playing videogames affects your health, physical, emotional and mental. If you suffer some type of withdrawal symptoms when you're not playing. If it causes you to not go to school, work, or participate in daily activities necessary for functioning. When I say not go to school or work, I mean to the point where you get expelled or fired. That does not mean if you miss a day of work because Gears 2 is out that you are addicted. So did this child go through this? We don't have enough information. I tell you what though running away from home is a childs last resort and it usually is evidence of something bigger going wrong in the house.

[Marcello]

I believe that videogame addiction is a fact, sometimes it is linked to how family takes care of the child, sometimes not. I think that saying that the boy ran away "because he was punished" actually states that he was indeed addicted, I mean, if he wasn't addicted to the videogam he wouldn't take the punishment that hard would he?
But now, blamming the videogame is another different matter, and that is, in my opinion, very wrong. It's just like cursing cigarrets for the damage they do, there's propaganda everywhere abouit the harm of cigarrets, you wann smoke them, please dol, but don't blame the cigarrets when they mess you up. The game will only become addictive if you let the child stay playing it for a long while, no one gets addicted on anything all of a sudden, it's a relatively long process, if someone controled the boy from the begining, it wouldn't become addiction; and as someone once said "Anything that is done in excess can be harmful"...
Other point to be tpouched is that he was playing COD4 and he was a kid... Someone should have kept watch on the kid all that while, when I was young like that I played Mario Bros., Mario Kart and some other games like that, I DID play Wolfenstein and Mortal Kombat but that was under supervision of my parents, I only got into that more violent type of game when I was around 16, and hey I'm not addicted, I know my priorities so to speak...

[Ainokeatoo]

I believe that videogame addiction is a fact, sometimes it is linked to how family takes care of the child, sometimes not. I think that saying that the boy ran away "because he was punished" actually states that he was indeed addicted, I mean, if he wasn't addicted to the videogam he wouldn't take the punishment that hard would he?
But now, blamming the videogame is another different matter, and that is, in my opinion, very wrong. It's just like cursing cigarrets for the damage they do, there's propaganda everywhere abouit the harm of cigarrets, you wann smoke them, please dol, but don't blame the cigarrets when they mess you up. The game will only become addictive if you let the child stay playing it for a long while, no one gets addicted on anything all of a sudden, it's a relatively long process, if someone controled the boy from the begining, it wouldn't become addiction; and as someone once said "Anything that is done in excess can be harmful"...
Other point to be tpouched is that he was playing COD4 and he was a kid... Someone should have kept watch on the kid all that while, when I was young like that I played Mario Bros., Mario Kart and some other games like that, I DID play Wolfenstein and Mortal Kombat but that was under supervision of my parents, I only got into that more violent type of game when I was around 16, and hey I'm not addicted, I know my priorities so to speak...

Of course it's a fact, you can be addicted to almost anything in the world, even games, but the cases of people actually addicted to games are few and far between ya feel me? I agree with what Matt said.

There are two reasons that would explain why this kid ran away from home, it's not video game addiction. Running away is the absolute last resort, something more was going on, not the video games. That's the first reason, the second, the kids just a spoiled brat who couldn't cope without his games for a couple weeks. It's to hard to believe that video games could have anything to do with why he ran away. It may be what set him off, but can't possibly be the 'only' reason why he left.

And look at us, the future of CSI.

[Marcello]

Of course it's a fact, you can be addicted to almost anything in the world, even games, but the cases of people actually addicted to games are few and far between ya feel me? I agree with what Matt said.

There are two reasons that would explain why this kid ran away from home, it's not video game addiction. Running away is the absolute last resort, something more was going on, not the video games. That's the first reason, the second, the kids just a spoiled brat who couldn't cope without his games for a couple weeks. It's to hard to believe that video games could have anything to do with why he ran away. It may be what set him off, but can't possibly be the 'only' reason why he left.

And look at us, the future of CSI.


I DO NOT want to be CSI!!!:cuss: I want to be FBI, and work on the X-Files!!!:hail: ahuahuahuauh

hey yeah, I hadn't seen Matt saying about problems at the boy's home, in a case like that the addiction can, as you said, come directly as source of "escape", just like some people seek refuge in the "high" of drugs, onbe can just as easily seek refuge inside the gaming world.
As for the father killing the kid, I think it's too dangerous to jump to any conclusions, to quote two different cases here in Brazil: in one a school nameds "Metodo" was accused of sexualy abusing the children (this was ages ago), the accustaions came from the kids themselves, every source of news in an extremely irresponsible act began to divulge the case and next thing you know, the principles and teachers were being attacked on the streets, lost theyr jobs, were socially hated in every way, one of the guys involved killed himself; sometime after they found out that NOTHING had happend, a kid came up with that story and the other children went on with that, the natural shock of the parents made things worse, and it lead to a big damage done to people who were actually inocent on all accounts, but by the time they found that out those guys had already lost too much of their lifes, so to speak, and then the press payed them some money (a lot, but not enough) and publicised a MINOR NOTE saying that it was all a big mistake...
More recently, around Februar of this current year, I think, this girl is found dead, apparently fell of the window of the aprtment where she lived. After a the police arrived they found out that her room had one of those protection nets (the ones you put to keep kids from falling/jumping out of the window, you know, some children tend to think they're Superman), and that very net had been cut. the investigation went on and on and they came to the conclusion that the parents beat her kinda too hard and "killed her", only she wasn't really dead, and the father didn't realise she was alive, and in a very cruel and stupid attempt to fake the murder the bastard threw his own daughter (!!!) out of the window, in order to make it look like an accident, he and his wife are currently waiting for trial (sadly enough there's no death penalty in here).
Family related crimes have unfortunately become quite a normal thing, I won't be surprised if two years from now people won't even get shocked with them, I mean we had evrything here, from mothers that instead of giving a baby to adoption throw them alive in a river, to spoiled little cun*s who murdered her parents because she wanted to go out with her boyfriend.
The world is becomming a big pile of s*it and my country is in the way to become the toilet bin. ¬¬

[mattgame]

I stand by my accusation.

[Marcello]

I stand by my accusation.


Hahuahuahu I stand saying I wanna be FBI and work on the X-Files :p

[GamerSince'76]

Both the parents and the teen over reacted. No way is gaming to blame for this. If they took away his favorite pair of jean would they hold the clothing company responsible.

The kid should have known better and the parents were too harsh.

[Ainokeatoo]

the parents were too harsh.

I don't agree, to harsh would be beating the kid within an inch of his life. Taking away the game is not harsh in the least, hell at the very least the kid didn't get hit for even arguing the point. Which is what would happen in my house. Father's word is law, just gotta put your head down and keep going, which the kid didn't do, and unfortunately this is what happened.

[GamerSince'76]

I don't agree, to harsh would be beating the kid within an inch of his life. Taking away the game is not harsh in the least, hell at the very least the kid didn't get hit for even arguing the point. Which is what would happen in my house. Father's word is law, just gotta put your head down and keep going, which the kid didn't do, and unfortunately this is what happened.

It was reported the boy played 12 hours a day. Excessive? Of course but they didn't just take the game away, they took his console away. Of course he is going to react.

If that was my child I would keep trying to reason with him. At least he wasn't in a gang, he wasn't doing drugs (that we know of) and he wasn't stealing cars. The kid was safe at home playing.

[Ainokeatoo]

It was reported the boy played 12 hours a day. Excessive? Of course but they didn't just take the game away, they took his console away. Of course he is going to react.

If that was my child I would keep trying to reason with him. At least he wasn't in a gang, he wasn't doing drugs (that we know of) and he wasn't stealing cars. The kid was safe at home playing.

Eh well, ya gotta look at it in perspective (and the fact that I wasn't aware the article said he played that much daily). Also, I mean, yeah, the kid is going to react when you take something away that he/she likes. But if raised right, (and with enough brains on him/her) the kid wouldn't run away from home. At least I didn't. Blah I guess it's the way you're raised.

[GamerSince'76]

Well this is interesting:

http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2008/11/07/john-oakley-the-moral-of-the-brandon-crisp-story.aspx

The father helped pack his sons napsack. Since when is sending your kid out on the streets better for him than gaming? We all now what can happen to kids with child molesters and murderers.

[Ainokeatoo]

Well this is interesting:

http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2008/11/07/john-oakley-the-moral-of-the-brandon-crisp-story.aspx

The father helped pack his sons napsack. Since when is sending your kid out on the streets better for him than gaming? We all now what can happen to kids with child molesters and murderers.

It was the kids choice, the dad helped kick him out in order to call the bluff he believed the kid had. The dad didn't think he'd actually run away. Gaming has no part in the matter. My dad would have done the same to me if I ever threatened to run away.

[Marcello]

I don't agree, to harsh would be beating the kid within an inch of his life. Taking away the game is not harsh in the least, hell at the very least the kid didn't get hit for even arguing the point. Which is what would happen in my house. Father's word is law, just gotta put your head down and keep going, which the kid didn't do, and unfortunately this is what happened.

I agre with you AND I think taking the console away IS a good option, after all if it became addiction he could just easily get addicted for another game. The boy needed to be treated, at that moment it seems it was all the parents could do (I take it "talking" wasn't working). Than take the kido to psychiatrist...

[Alex5101]

For those of you who're wondering how he died. It turns out they found him just a little while ago. He climbed a tree and fell out and died of chest trauma.

Sure, he may have been addicted, but I don't think taking away the console was the ONLY reason he ran away. He was being punished, so like some other kids he ran away. It's simply unfortunate that the boy died. I don't think it's logical to say that it's all a games fault.

[Nurb]

why isn't anyone beating the parents for buying a mature rated game for a young boy?

[Ainokeatoo]

why isn't anyone beating the parents for buying a mature rated game for a young boy?

LMFAO Because everyone else's parents at one point or another, bought a mature rated game for them as a young boy/girl. So it kinda defeats the purpose eh?

[Nurb]

LMFAO Because everyone else's parents at one point or another, bought a mature rated game for them as a young boy/girl. So it kinda defeats the purpose eh?

well thats my point. :D The parents want to blame games when they don't follow the ratings. Its like when that grandma sued rockstar because GTA was so violent, but no one said anything about the fact that the kid was 11 an the game was ment for 17+

[Ainokeatoo]

well thats my point. :D The parents want to blame games when they don't follow the ratings. Its like when that grandma sued rockstar because GTA was so violent, but no one said anything about the fact that the kid was 11 an the game was ment for 17+

Lol I see your point, though I never heard about the granny suing rockstar, how long ago was it?

[vicious151]

I just don't see how running away is the games fault. I've seen kids run away because parents wouldn't let there kid date, or even go to a movie. Are we to now blame movies and socialism as well. The kid ran away because he was a brat and the parents always gave him what he wanted hence the mature game that he shouldn't have been playing anyway. The parents have no one to blame but themselves.

[Variation-XBA]

I just don't see how running away is the games fault. I've seen kids run away because parents wouldn't let there kid date, or even go to a movie. Are we to now blame movies and socialism as well. The kid ran away because he was a brat and the parents always gave him what he wanted hence the mature game that he shouldn't have been playing anyway. The parents have no one to blame but themselves.

It's called a scapegoat and games will be the brunt of it for quite a long time. Ofcourse it's the parents fault, but the media won't have you to believe that

[vicious151]

It's called a scapegoat and games will be the brunt of it for quite a long time. Ofcourse it's the parents fault, but the media won't have you to believe that

They should probably focus on more than a friggin lawsuit I mean there son just died. Screw the media they are never right about anything anyways, I hate the news.:mad:

[Clintman]

I love all this denial. Yeah, we all like games here, but you have to open your eyes. There ARE cases of addiction to videogames. Sure it starts as a hobby, but it can end up an addiction and if you disagree with that then maybe you're addicted.

Anyways as for Brandon, I don't know all the details so I won't comment on that aspect. I'm just gonna say that it bugs me how just because this kid was from my area everyone has RIP in their names. If it was anyone one else from anywhere else they wouldn't give a rats ass. Jesus, people sure can be star ****ers.

[Variation-XBA]

I love all this denial. Yeah, we all like games here, but you have to open your eyes. There ARE cases of addiction to videogames. Sure it starts as a hobby, but it can end up an addiction and if you disagree with that then maybe you're addicted.

I was more talking about the way media blames the kids that shoot people at schools etc since they play games, not arguing the addictiveness factor.

But then again people pay $5 a day at Starbucks to maintain but don't think anything of it.

[Clintman]

I think that there can be truth to that as well, but not in most cases.

[Marcello]

I just don't see how running away is the games fault. I've seen kids run away because parents wouldn't let there kid date, or even go to a movie. Are we to now blame movies and socialism as well. The kid ran away because he was a brat and the parents always gave him what he wanted hence the mature game that he shouldn't have been playing anyway. The parents have no one to blame but themselves.

I vote for blaming socialism, ALWAYS blame socialism :whistle:
"Are the children not entitled to the consequences of their own misbehaved acts? NO, says the man in the forum, it is entitled to the parents!" - Bioshock talk ahuahuahu
Just kidding dude :p

[vicious151]

I love all this denial. Yeah, we all like games here, but you have to open your eyes. There ARE cases of addiction to videogames. Sure it starts as a hobby, but it can end up an addiction and if you disagree with that then maybe you're addicted.



I am not arguing that you can't become addicted to video games because there are cases of this. But the parents are blaming the video games for there son's death. Again this is where I argue that Microsoft didn't purchase there son's xbox they did so how can they blame anyone but themselves. It's like people that smoke cigarettes and end up with lung cancer, now all of sudden its the cigarette companies fault. My point is these companies don't force people to buy their products, we make our own ADULT decisions to purchase these things. In this case where there is a child involved it is the Parents responsibility to help guide and teach there child to make better decisions and in this case they failed to do so IE buying a mature rated game for their underage son.

[vicious151]

I vote for blaming socialism, ALWAYS blame socialism :whistle:
"Are the children not entitled to the consequences of their own misbehaved acts? NO, says the man in the forum, it is entitled to the parents!" - Bioshock talk ahuahuahu
Just kidding dude :p

it's cool homes:cool:
and
Outstanding game by the way.

[Alex5101]

I love all this denial. Yeah, we all like games here, but you have to open your eyes. There ARE cases of addiction to videogames. Sure it starts as a hobby, but it can end up an addiction and if you disagree with that then maybe you're addicted.


While we say that there's too much blame being put on video games, I for one am not saying that there is NO addiction ever to video games. Of course there is, it's usually most prominent with MMO games. But, fact of the matter is, there's a small amount of addicted gamers compared to the entire population of gamers and other things that people are addicted to aren't always the toy of the media; it usually boils back down to video games.

Video games are always getting a bad rap because those in the media who are older didn't all grow up with games and don't understand the appeal. So how can they deal with things like the occasional addiction to a video game if they don't understand it in the first place?

Also, a large part of this tragedy is the parents doing. They let him have this M rated game when he clearly wasn't old enough, or mature enough, to play the game. Also, why didn't they seek help when they noticed he was playing to much? Or try and use some of the parental settings? Have it shut down after a certain amount of time?

But this comes back to my other point, they don't understand games or the system because they didn't grow up with it and don't take action in their child's life. I just wish they would have taken action so that a loss like this could have been avoided.

[Highlite23]

As a gamer and a parent................I blame parents completely.

This argument drives me crazy because I have friends, family and neighbors who are all about blaming games, movies and TV for the problems they face with there children. BE PARENTS FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!!

It's sad that a child lost his life, but the media, and society is taking the easy way out, it's almost become cliche'.

Shootings, violent behavior, bad grades, what ever..........why aren't these parents aware of their kids behavior from the start?

It's our job as parents to make sure our kids understand the difference between a hobby and an addiction, fantasy from reality, actions and consequences, and right from wrong.

I play everything my kids play before they do if it slightly goes into the "Grey" area, I do the same with movies. We have a rule of no games during school nights and maintaining at least a B average in school.........or at least put forth the best effort you can, and if your involved with your kids you'll know the difference.

I'm sorry if this sounds like a rant, but it's one of my biggest pet peeves. Parents need to start taking some accountability for the problems their children face, and rather than assign blame, find out what the "Real" problem is and address it in a mature, responsible manner.

Enough of this "Boogy-Man" made him do it BS, parents, look in the freekin' mirror and see who's really to blame. :mad:

[Ainokeatoo]

As a gamer and a parent................I blame parents completely.

This argument drives me crazy because I have friends, family and neighbors who are all about blaming games, movies and TV for the problems they face with there children. BE PARENTS FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!!

It's sad that a child lost his life, but the media, and society is taking the easy way out, it's almost become cliche'.

Shootings, violent behavior, bad grades, what ever..........why aren't these parents aware of their kids behavior from the start?

It's our job as parents to make sure our kids understand the difference between a hobby and an addiction, fantasy from reality, actions and consequences, and right from wrong.

I play everything my kids play before they do if it slightly goes into the "Grey" area, I do the same with movies. We have a rule of no games during school nights and maintaining at least a B average in school.........or at least put forth the best effort you can, and if your involved with your kids you'll know the difference.

I'm sorry if this sounds like a rant, but it's one of my biggest pet peeves. Parents need to start taking some accountability for the problems their children face, and rather than assign blame, find out what the "Real" problem is and address it in a mature, responsible manner.

Enough of this "Boogy-Man" made him do it BS, parents, look in the freekin' mirror and see who's really to blame. :mad:

Exactly! Highlite is right, I don't like to say it, more or less for the argumentative nature, but I have to agree. It's the parents complete and utter fault. I agree completely, minus the "no games on school night" no fair :P. Anywho... Parents should take responsibility, and not place blame on a game company, when the parents themselves buy the games for them and allow them to play said games. It's not like parents have no control whatsoever on how much time the kid has to play, what he or she plays, etc.

The game companies in "NO" way are to blame, it doesn't matter how much shooting there is in a game, how much gore, sexual innuendo's, sexual content, etc. So long as the game is correctly rated. The rating in itself should be the disclaimer, no kid under the age of 18 should be playing games they can not handle, period, end of story.

Game companies are not to blame, the parents are.

[vicious151]

As a gamer and a parent................I blame parents completely.

This argument drives me crazy because I have friends, family and neighbors who are all about blaming games, movies and TV for the problems they face with there children. BE PARENTS FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!!

It's sad that a child lost his life, but the media, and society is taking the easy way out, it's almost become cliche'.

Shootings, violent behavior, bad grades, what ever..........why aren't these parents aware of their kids behavior from the start?

It's our job as parents to make sure our kids understand the difference between a hobby and an addiction, fantasy from reality, actions and consequences, and right from wrong.

I play everything my kids play before they do if it slightly goes into the "Grey" area, I do the same with movies. We have a rule of no games during school nights and maintaining at least a B average in school.........or at least put forth the best effort you can, and if your involved with your kids you'll know the difference.

I'm sorry if this sounds like a rant, but it's one of my biggest pet peeves. Parents need to start taking some accountability for the problems their children face, and rather than assign blame, find out what the "Real" problem is and address it in a mature, responsible manner.

Enough of this "Boogy-Man" made him do it BS, parents, look in the freekin' mirror and see who's really to blame. :mad:
this is what I was saying. I like the no game rule on school nights I think I will practice that with my son when he reaches that age.

[hostchecker]

Stupid parents, how did he die?
http://photosnag.com/img/837/t08j1110iyaz/cool.gif

[GamerSince'76]

Stupid parents, how did he die?
http://photosnag.com/img/837/t08j1110iyaz/cool.gif

Yup the father helped him pack. I guess sending your kid out into the cold on the street is safer than gaming. Lord knows no bad people out there that would harm a kid.

The boy fell out of a tree and crushed his chest.

[G n 4 r l y]

WOW, is all i have to say.
Is WOW :yikes: