An Arizona couple face multiple charges after police say they abandoned their 2-year-old boy at home to play “Pokemon Go.”
The toddler, wearing just a diaper and T-shirt, managed to wander out of the house and into the 96-degree heat, according to a Pinal County Sheriff’s Office news release. A neighbor called 911 and deputies found the child wailing outside the San Tan Valley home, trying to get in.
The boy was “red-faced, sweaty and dirty” by the time deputies arrived, according to the release.
Deputies walked into the home – which was unlocked – to find three dogs but no sign of the parents, Brent Daley, 27, and, Brianne Daley, 25, according to officials. Deputies called Brent Daley and told them they had found the boy abandoned outside the house, to which Daley allegedly replied, “Whatever,” before hanging up.
It took the Daleys close to an hour to return home after the call, officials said.
The couple had allegedly left the boy sleeping so they could get gas, but later admitted they were driving to various parks and other areas while playing “Pokemon Go,” according to Sheriff Paul Babeu.
Both parents face charges of child endangerment and child neglect and were booked into the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office jail.
The child is now being cared for by the Department of Child Services.
Babeu is among many law enforcement officers across the country who have warned people about being safe while playing the virtual game.
“We never would have imagined that parents would abandon a child to play ‘Pokemon Go,'” Babeu said in the news release. “This goes beyond comprehension.”