Parents Arrested for Leaving 2-Year-Old Home Alone to Play Pokémon Go

Two Arizona parents were arrested for leaving their 2-year-old son home alone to play Pokémon Go.

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Complex Original

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The youth has received its fair share of criticism for going all in on Pokémon GO, but for even parents are getting in trouble trying to catch 'em all. This Arizona couple wanted to play Pokémon Go so badly they left their 2-year-old home alone while they went out, the Arizona Republic reported.

San Tan Valley's 27-year-old Brent Daley and 25-year-old Brianna Daley left their son to go play Pokémon Go for almost an hour and a half, a statement from the Pinal County Sheriff's Office said. 

The 2-year-old was left home alone sleeping on July 28, as the couple would later tell police. But the child managed to get out of the house and was seen wandering outside by a neighbor. The neighbor noticed the child's parents weren't around and called police. 

Police said they arrived and found the child barefoot in a diaper and a t-shirt crying and screaming while trying to get back in the house. The child was described as "red faced, sweaty and dirty" on a 96-degree night. 

Tucson News Nowreported the door was unlocked, and once inside the hous,e police found a number for Brent Daley. When he was told his son was found abandoned, he reportedly replied with a "Whatever" before hanging up.

The Daleys would arrive almost an hour later, first saying they left the sleeping boy to go get gas for their car. They then admitted they left to play Pokémon Go, 

"The couple admitted they were away from the residence for up to 90 minutes playing the Pokemon Go smartphone game. They said they were driving around San Tan Valley, stopping at parks and other places to interact with the game," Babeu said. "Our agency and many other law-enforcement agencies have been warning people about personal safety while playing this interactive smartphone game, but we never would have imagined that parents would abandon a child to play Pokemon Go."

The Daley's son is with child services now that the couple is in jail, where they're facing child endangerment and child neglect charges.

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