Sheriff's deputies in Arizona arrested a couple after their 2-year-old son was found abandoned last week in only a diaper and T-shirt outside the family's home, the Pinal County Sheriff's Office said Monday. The parents later admitted to authorities that they left the boy to play "Pokemon Go."
"Deputies found the child locked out of his home in 96 degree weather with no water while his parents were gone, interacting with their smartphone game," on July 28, Sheriff Paul Babeu said.
The boy was screaming and crying when a neighbor found him as he desperately tried to get inside his home around 10:30 p.m., according to deputies. The neighbor called 911 after realizing that there was no one else at the San Tan Valley home.
"The child was red faced, sweaty and dirty," PCSO public information officer Mark Clark said.
His home was unlocked, and deputies went in. They found three dogs and a phone number belonging to the child's father, 27-year-old Brent Daley. They called to inform him that his child had been found abandoned.
"Whatever," he replied, according to deputies, before hanging up.
Authorities waited for Daley to return home for nearly an hour. When he did, he had the child's mother, 25-year-old Brienne Daley, with him.
They told deputies they left the boy sleeping while they went to put gas in their car. Deputies arrested them on charges of child neglect and endangerment.
They later admitted that they left their son alone in the house for up to 90 minutes to play "Pokemon Go," Sheriff Paul Babeu said.
"They were driving around San Tan Valley, stopping at parks and other places to interact with the game," Babeu said. "This goes beyond comprehension."
The Daleys were booked into Pinal County Adult Detention Center but have since been released, according to jail records. The Arizona Department of Child Services took custody of their son.
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