Russian Teen Dies After 22 Days of Marathon Gaming

Death revolving around video games isn't exactly common, but it's still unfortunate to hear of. Recently, a teenager has died in Russian republic of Bashkortostan after spending 22 days playing online computer games.

The 17-year-old boy, from Ufa, lost consciousness on Sunday, requiring hospitalization. TASS state news agency reported that the boy suffered a leg injury and was tied to his home since August 8, apparently with little adult supervision.

Quoting a senior aide at the regional Investigative Committee:

"While his parents were away, he incessantly played online computer games, wrenching himself away from the screen only to sleep."

If he at least slept, then more-than-likely his death wasn't related to sleep deprivation. Nevertheless Pavel Astakhov, children's rights ombudsman, labeled the happenstance as "a grave warning to all parents."

"Dear parents, pay attention to your children! Don't let them become hostages to their computer, their Internet, games!"

The ombudsman also stated elsewhere that the teen could have lasted up to 80 days playing games. Relatives and friends unfortunately couldn't confirm if he had a gaming addiction. More than likely he suffered a gaming addiction, but it doesn't seem to be the culprit behind his death. What he has eaten or if he has eaten has not been factored in. The same goes for liquids, such as water.

Perhaps it was just an infection that wasn't taken care of. Nevertheless, this is a clear message that parents should always check on their kids, especially after a leg-injury.