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US mum calls 911 over Grand Theft Auto

Teenage son refuses to stop gaming

A Boston mum whose 14-year-old son refused to stop playing Grand Theft Auto in the early hours called in the cops to put a stop to his late-night gaming.

The 911 call came at 2:30 am on Saturday morning, when the desperate parent explained that not only had her offspring resisted a maternal cease-and-desist order, but he also wouldn't go to bed and "walked around the house and turned on all the lights".

Two law enforcement operatives attended the scene and "persuaded the child* to obey his mother", as AP puts it.

Police spokesman Joe Zanoli described the call as "a little unusual", but conceded that "by no means is it surprising - especially in today's day and age when these kids play video games and computer games". ®

Bootnote

* It's lucky for him he doesn't live in Arkansas.

If I was president of the world...

1) This woman would have been arrested for buying the game.

2) Her kid would have been put into care because she's an unfit mother.

3) She would have been fined for wasting police time.

Put that on Fox and it won't happen again.

3
0

Hmmm

I take it that the Mother will be prosecuted for letting her child play an 18 rated game?

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Not the first I am sure

I expect there are many comments awaiting moderation that will ask the same question, but: What is the age limit for that game? The kid was 14. Here in the UK it is an 18 rated game. Does that just apply to purchasing it, or playing it as well (Is it like alcohol, where you can't buy it for an under 18).

What is the law concerning age ratings on games in the US?

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Anonymous Coward

Parental failure.

When you have to call somebody else to assert your authority is because you're a failure.

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I am a parent

albeit my sprog is only a wee one. But, if you raise the kid correctly, you shouldn't have that problem. If the kid has learned that disrespect to the parent will have consequences (no more games, no candy/snacks, no going over to friends' houses, etc) then the idea of saying "Sod off" to the 'rent shouldn't occur. If it does, it will hopefully happen when the kid is still small enough for the parent to handle, and if handles properly, swiftly, and with appropriate intensity, it won't happen more than once.

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