A 22-year-old woman in Jacksonville, Florida named Alexandra V. Tobias has pleaded guilty in the death of her 3-month-old son, Dylan.
The reason for such a despicable act? She tells investigators that she was busy playing the highly popular Facebook game, Farmville, when the child started crying. She explains that she became so angry, she shook the baby, went and smoked a cigarette to try and calm down, and then shook the baby more. She also added that while she was shaking him, he might have hit his head on something.
Tobias has been charged with second-degree murder, and could face up to life in prison…though it is noted that this sentence could be much, much less because “state guidelines” place the charge at 25-50 years imprisonment.
Farmville is a real-time strategy game that allows users to maintain their own virtual farm, plowing your lands, planting crops, harvesting what you’ve grown, and raising your own various livestock.
These are the types of stories that really make you sick to your stomach. For someone to become so frustrated with their own child because they’re trying to play a stupid, insignificant Facebook game that gives you absolutely no personal gain whatsoever, that it actually leads them to an unforgivably violent act and subsequent murder…it’s really about as senseless as things can get.
[Source: The Florida Times-Union via Kotaku]
Guns don’t kill people… farmville does.
Comment by Spaz — October 30, 2010 @ 1:28 am
Before the advent of social networking, and more to the point, “social gaming”, almost everything violent was blamed on games of some sort. I’m sure some people will remember the times when Dungeons & Dragons was considered a game for satanists, and witches. People who played it were accused of going out and killing people, or giving their souls to satan. Later, people sought to have shooting games like Area 51, Time Crisis, etc outlawed.
Although I agree that this particular story is sickening, and I have no compassion for the mother, I believe that it is good that people are not directly blaming the act on Farmville itself. (Other than Spaz’s joking comment.) Blaming heinous acts like this is simply an excuse, and it’s nice to see that society doesn’t jump to try to blame the act on the video game.
But, as I said, I have no compassion for the mother, her child should have been far more important than a piece of code hosted on a webserver, but unfortunately, this seems to be the norm, the game is more important than life.
Comment by Arumoro — October 30, 2010 @ 3:09 am
play a stupid, insignificant Facebook game that gives you absolutely no personal gain whatsoever,…
Comment by grim reaper — October 30, 2010 @ 4:40 am
This article doesn’t belong on Geeks Of Doom.
Comment by Devon — October 30, 2010 @ 9:05 am
what a fucking stupid bitch
Comment by adam — October 30, 2010 @ 2:18 pm
@Devon
Your input is always appreciated. But the content of Geeks of Doom is, and has always been, free to run the full field of concerns of our contributor. If one of us is moved to cover something, he or she is free to cover it. No restrictions. And you have to admit something as widely adopted as the Facebook game Farmville causing this kind of behavior is pretty freakin’ insane. I can’t imagine what would happen if say, Farmville stopped working. I predict a very ’28 Days Later’ type reaction from the facebook-trolling populace. (ack!)
Comment by Dave3 — October 30, 2010 @ 11:21 pm
SPAZ what the fuck this is not something to make a joke about so shut the fuck up, your a stupid as this women
Comment by weeblz — October 31, 2010 @ 11:49 am
Unfortunately her crops are probably withering right now as she won’t be able to harvest properly while in the slammer. (Sarcasm for those of you who will take that sentence seriously) By the look on her face she is still blaming the child for her failed crops. There will come a time when hardcore gamers (as I once was) will look back and see that all the time used for these games will amount to pretty much nothing. If I had spent that time on college courses and on “leveling up my real life” I think the bulk of us would be better off IMHO. Sure flame that last bit but I don’t think anyone will be on their death bed thinking …I wish I played more farmville, WoW, Mafia Wars etc. That I tanked Onyxia and Ragnaros back in classic WoW days won’t do diddly squat for me in 10 years.
Comment by Facebook User — October 31, 2010 @ 8:12 pm
I think it is weak to blame the game. (for one it isn’t a strategy game it is a cooperative game) But rather this girls inability to cope and prioritize. Would this story have the same impact if she was on the phone when the baby started crying, or busy making dinner. I suspect those innocuous activities could have yielded the same result for someone who has low coping skills and isn’t able to figure out a very basic natural instinct to ease a crying baby. Very sad.
Comment by facebook user — November 4, 2010 @ 5:45 pm
What is this World coming to? A game should never be more important than a child. I have 5 and I just walk away from the game and take care of them and come back. She is stupid and on top of that she is STUPID!! I think you catch my drift eh?
Comment by Noneya — November 14, 2010 @ 8:06 pm
She is very disturbed and needs lots and lots of prayer!!!!! At least that poor little baby is out of her hands and in heaven with all the angels taking care of him!!!!! ♥
Comment by Bonny — December 27, 2010 @ 9:16 pm
This crazy bitch needs to be placed into an electric chair….too bad they don’t do that no more
Comment by hillary — February 3, 2011 @ 6:28 pm
prayer won’t do anything! I hate when people say that, praying doesn’t get crap done
Comment by elizabeth — May 10, 2012 @ 11:39 pm
fry that bitch
Comment by stryder1530 — May 11, 2012 @ 12:32 pm
 no that cost money chop off her head thats free
Comment by stryder1530 — May 11, 2012 @ 12:38 pm