“He got the PlayStation for Christmas and was very happy. He was so happy.”
Anthony Maldonado was a bright, popular fourth-grade student from Palisades Park, N.J., who spent his holidays with his relatives in Harlem.
On January 2nd at around 3 a.m., Anthony was left alone with a family friend — Alejandro Morales. The two were reportedly engrossed by a Tony Hawk game on Anthony’s newly purchased PlayStation 3 when a struggle erupted that left the nine-year-old beaten and stabbed to death by Morales.
Although the motives remain unclear, Morales was known to be trouble on the street, allegedly having a violent past. Despite this, the New York Police Department believe the fight broke out over the game.
While Morales has been detained and charged, the media has selected another perpetrator to level blame upon — the video game console. Efforts by the police and news outlets to imply that the PS3 had something to do with this tragedy only work to alleviate Morales of accountability.
Blaming an inanimate entertainment device helps no one and betrays the memory of this well-loved child. [via New York Daily News]