Couple say son's disappearance has to do with video game
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JOSH WINGROVE
With a report from The Canadian Press
October 21, 2008 at 3:55 PM EDT
A Barrie couple believe someone is holding their missing teenaged son against his will, and that his disappearance is linked to a video game.
On Oct. 13, the parents of 15-year-old Brandon Crisp revoked his privileges to play Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, a popular video game to which they say he was addicted. The couple fought with their son that afternoon, though it was far from the first time they'd imposed such a punishment.
"He is obsessed with Call of Duty - it has been a constant battle for the last two years," Angelika Crisp said yesterday. "That's his life right now."
But in an uncharacteristic move, young Brandon got on his bike that Monday, and left home. He hasn't been seen or heard from since, and has now become the subject of a broad police search.
Ms. Crisp and her husband, Steve, believe the game is both the reason their son left, and why he hasn't returned.
"We feel he's been recruited by someone [to play Call of Duty] andlured in by the promise of money. We just pray that it's not a pedophile or someone using it to lure kids in," Mr. Crisp told The Globe and Mail yesterday. "We have no idea, but it's the only conclusion that makes any sense - that this is where he's at. That he's in this game somewhere."
Call of Duty is played on several gaming systems (the young Mr. Crisp owned an Xbox) and can be played online against other players worldwide. Ms. Crisp said she would wake up in the middle of the night and hear her son speaking to other players using his in-game microphone.
Investigators have searched Brandon's Xbox for possible leads, but came up empty, Barrie police Sergeant Dave Goodbrand said. There has been no recent activity on the teen's online Xbox account, which would track if he'd been logged into the game since last week.
There are a handful of professional video gaming circuits in North America that pay thousands of dollars to quick-thumbed gamers. Mr. Crisp said a fraudulent promise of such an opportunity could easily lead his son to run away.
"That would definitely lure my son in," Mr. Crisp said.
Police said yesterday the mountain bike Brandon left home with was found abandoned in a ditch near Shanty Bay, about four kilometres from the Crisp family home. Police searched that area yesterday for clues, but found none.
The missing teen had also earlier asked his mother for directions to nearby Oro-Medonte Township because he knows people who live in the area. So far, there have been few leads, and police acknowledge time isn't on their side.
"Every day another door closes that was available," Sgt. Goodbrand said. "He's had no contact with his friends and the weather is changing. Every day, this becomes more and more of a concern, so you have to ramp [the search] up."
"Most 15-year-olds who run away return within 24 hours," he added.
The panicked parents have had little sleep since their son left, with the phone and doorbell "ringing every five minutes," Mr. Crisp said. They'll be back at Shanty Bay today, and hope one phone call will soon bring good news of their son's whereabouts.
Summary: This kid was not just playing Call Of Duty 4 he was addicted.
His parents told him to stop playing but the chid got angry.
The next morning he got on his bike and left and they never saw him since.
Usually the kids comeback in twenty four hours but he did not.
Questions
1. would you run away
2.are you addicted to games
3.dou you play Call Of Duty 4
link to course
back then people did not have technology to create addictive games
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9 comments:
It is sad to know that a simple video game could cause so much grief. This just goes to show that firstly everything must be enjoyed in moderation and secondly, you should listen to your parents. If Brian knew the emotional trauma his parents are feeling right now he would be back home. You've now what grief running away causes your parents. So here's some advice when you are spending more time with your games than you are with your family turn off the console
this is a very serious topic. the 15 year old would probably never come back. your parents are always trying their best to do the right thing but the parents are probably regretting their actions.
I would never run away in any case, I am not addicted to games and I occassionally play Call of Duty 4, about 15 times last year and that is it.
this kid is stupid. I overheard my dad saying that they found a tent or some other kind of sleeping quarters with like empty chip bags and other junk food in it. I like video games some people may call me addicted but if my parents banned them I would never ever run away (which I almost did once but not because of video games but because I was tired confused and angry and needed to clear my head with some fresh air but i did not even get across the street when i turned around and went back home).
This kid is very insane. How can a videogame make so much influence in a teen?
This post makes parents think if they are constantly checking that their boys don't play videogames a lot.
Videogames are not bad but you don't have to be excessive.
I think the only way to help their son is to let him play sports such as basketball or tennis instead of playing Call Of Duty4.
I believe that parents should set boundries for their kids so they don't end up as Brandon Crisp. It is very sad indeed how Brandon Crisp was found dead just a short distance from his house. I am sure that Brandon's Crisp are now in a state of shock. I do play call of duty 4, but I would never run away.
it is sad :(... i hope no OTHER kids get addicted to C.O.D. 4.
A local hunter found the body of him by a corn field. I think that his parents should of taken his X-box privliges away in small steps instead of all at once. Ten he would learn to not play as much.
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