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Did a DS help save a girl from child abuse? photo

I knew that the Ninteno DS was quite useful for doing things like playing games and helping me make oyakodon, but fighting child abuse? That's wasn't on the back of the box.

The Ayr Advertiser reports that Arthur McFarlane, 42, had been abusing a young girl for nearly a year and a half, between January 2007 and July 2008. That was when the girl sent her friend a message via the DS during a play session, complaining that McFarlane had been touching her.

The friend told her mother about the incident, though the crimes were only reported to the police nearly five months later. McFarlane admitted to "lewd, indecent and libidinous behavior" last Friday, November 6th.

While all seems to have ended well, the report leaves me with two questions:

  1. Assuming the arrests happened recently (the article doesn't say), why did it take the police nearly a year to act on the initial reports? For that matter, why didn't the friend's mother take action only after five months?
  2. What program were the two girls using? The only DS game I know with message-sending functions is built-in Pictochat.









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Josh Tolentino is Destructoid's associate editor, specializing in Japanese video games. He is also a contributing editor to Japanator.com Meet the rest of the team



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33 comments | showing # 1 to 33
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Lelio's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/10/2009 16:45
Lelio
It just makes you wonder how true the stories you read are. The kid's friend must've been in the next room to use pictochat.
mpgchulo's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/10/2009 16:45
mpgchulo
It's to bad they didn't get him sooner
Batthink's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/10/2009 16:47
Batthink
Yeah, damn slow-boat to justice. But at least they got him at all.

Justice. Coming soon via DS.
Gamechamp's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/10/2009 16:47
Gamechamp
Animal Crossing's got chat.
Kingdan97's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/10/2009 16:48
Kingdan97
Gamechamp beat me to it...
killatia's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/10/2009 16:57
killatia
A launch title game called ping pals was basicly nothing but chatting.
Diverse's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/10/2009 16:59
Diverse
i commit child abuse with my ds
BA Chieftain's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/10/2009 17:07
BA Chieftain
Could have voice chatted with Metroid Prime: Hunters
Monodi's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/10/2009 17:08
Monodi
it would have been kind of odd if it was PictoChat because, that is more of a planned communication system. Not to mention the distance.

maybe it was Animal Crossing or Pokemon.
Darren Nakamura's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/10/2009 17:10
Darren Nakamura
Clubhouse Games has a built-in chatroom as well. Also, they could have been playing the awful launch title Ping Pals.
Diogo Ribeiro's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/10/2009 17:13
Diogo Ribeiro
Now imagine if it was a PS3 or an Xbox 360.

"guys help i'm being raped"
"lol stfu fag"
Lelio's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/10/2009 17:13
Lelio
I thought Nintendo was against wi fi communications? Goes to show how much I don't know.
Vimto's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/10/2009 17:19
Vimto
There's a lesson to learn here pedo's don't buy them a DS I had a Game Gear couldn't chat for help in my day.
lewness's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/10/2009 17:21
lewness
That other girl (or her mother) sure is slow.
dj-anon's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/10/2009 17:26
dj-anon
fake story?
Holyetheline's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/10/2009 17:44
Holyetheline
they must have been pictochatting, I do it with my neighbor all the time.
vexed alex's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/10/2009 17:50
vexed alex
I will start taking you seriously when you change that awful avatar.
Velt's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/10/2009 18:05
Velt
@ chilimac:
WTF?!?!
Springsteen's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/10/2009 18:13
Springsteen
Is there a comment of the year around these parts? If there is, chilimac might have just won it.

Seriously man, what the hell is wrong with you?
Diogo Ribeiro's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/10/2009 18:15
Diogo Ribeiro
Secret pedo is no longer secret.
Diverse's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/10/2009 18:31
Diverse
@chilimac: Wisdom.
xeros720's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/10/2009 19:20
xeros720
Actually, I bet it was through one of Disney's DS games. Most of them come equipped with a chat client that can be used with the DS or online on Disney's website. Conversations are actually recorded and moderated for things like perverts and pedophiles. I'm pretty sure I caught a few back when I worked for Disney.
gamadaya's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/10/2009 19:20
gamadaya
@chilimac: Yes, that is the real lesson to be learned, isn't it.
CRAZYAPE69's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/10/2009 19:21
CRAZYAPE69
@ Diogo Ribeiro: so true
jorge's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/10/2009 19:45
jorge
@chilimac

O__________O
Arkhon's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/10/2009 19:54
Arkhon
@chilimac:

...
whatthi's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/10/2009 20:27
whatthi
@chilimac
oh chilimac you crazy old pedo bear you
Pinnipeds's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/10/2009 23:43
Pinnipeds
@chillmac

uhhhhhhhhhhh
sprldr's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/11/2009 08:45
sprldr
@chilimac:

:/
eskimo bob's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/11/2009 09:08
eskimo bob
I was gonna write something here, but chilimac made me lose my train of thoughts completely.

@chilimac: a/s/l?
Fiat Mediocrity's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/11/2009 11:14
Fiat Mediocrity
Maybe she was playing one of those mic games and the DS picked up on the humping noises.
Shadowstew's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/11/2009 15:00
Shadowstew
Obviously she was playing a Phoenix Wright game.
JohnMMC's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/31/2011 07:09
JohnMMC
Merhaba.

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