Cops: Man Arrested For Playing Hours of ‘Grand Theft Auto’ While 2-Year-Old Stepson Suffered with Broken Leg

According to section III of the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistic Manual of Mental Disorders, video game addiction is approaching legitimacy as a psychological disorder. Although more research is required, the DSM-V states:

The “gamers” play compulsively, to the exclusion of other interests, and their persistent and recurrent online activity results in clinically significant impairment or distress. People with this condition endanger their academic or job functioning because of the amount of time they spend playing. They experience symptoms of withdrawal when pulled away from gaming. 

Now, meet 19-year-old Luis Matienzo of West Town, Chicago who was ordered held on $1,000 bail Sunday after allegedly playing the video game “Grand Theft Auto V” for 2 and 1/2 hours while his 2-year-old stepson suffered from a broken leg.  According to court records, Matienzo knew “that the (child) was injured with a leg injury, later found to be a broken right leg,” and yet continued to play. 

Records also state that he only stopped playing the game when it was time to pick up his wife. It was then that he brought the child in for medical attention for a fractured right femur. No details were given as to the cause of the injury. 

Matienzo is charged with misdemeanor child endangerment and beating his high score.