Mom plays WOW so much her Child Dies of Starvation

Mom plays WOW so much her Child Dies of Starvation



Taking care of your kids while playing video games might not be that easy, especially if they're too young to join you. Recently, a resident of Las Cruces, N.M. named Rebecca Colleen Christie seems to be facing a serious ruling after she was accused of the second-degree murder of her 3-year-old daughter..

According to the FBI, who confiscated Christie's computer for this case, it was discovered that Christie played World of Warcraft from approximately noon to 3 a.m. every day with little interruption. During that time, she neglected her parenting responsibilities, saying she wanted "out of this house fast." Meanwhile, her daughter became so malnourished and starved that she allegedly resorted to eating cat food!

But why were the FBI involved? Turns out Christie's computer was bought for her by her former husband, Derek Wulf, who is enlisted with the U.S. Air Force. And because Christie's daughter died on an Air Force base, federal employees were obligated to investigate with the intent to prosecute. As a result, the FBI seized Christie's computer, which is how they were able to discover just how much she played WoW, how she spoke about wanting to get away from her own daughter and, worst of all, that she was back online playing only an hour after her child's death. :-(

So instead of feeling guilt, shame and sadness, Christie fought the case, not on the grounds of her innocence, but because she felt her 4th Amendment rights were being infringed upon...

Ms. Christie contends this evidence and more from her computer was uncovered in violation of her Fourth Amendment rights and the district court should have suppressed it from her trial. Because the court didn't, because it admitted the proof against her, Ms. Christie says a new trial is required.

That's right -- never mind her daughter's death, the real crime is that the government inspected private details from her computer without her consent. Too bad about the multiple warrants for search. The judge on the case was not having it.

So it is we decline to reverse the district court on this score, just as we find no other reversible error anywhere else in its careful treatment of this sad case. The judgment is affirmed.

And with that, Rebecca Colleen Christie was sentenced to 25 years in prison.