Pokémon GO Leads To Teenager Finding Dead Body

[Black Death]

Since its recent launch, Nintendo's new mobile VR game Pokémon GO has quickly captured the imaginations of players around the U.S. The augmented reality game allows users to view the world through their smartphones and capture Pokémon in their neighborhoods – or users can venture elsewhere in search of new Pokémon.

However, one trainer got a rather ghastly surprise while out on the hunt for a new creature to add to her stable.

KTVQ News is reporting Shayla Wiggins – a 19-year-old resident of Riverton, Wyoming – was attempting to locate a type of Pokémon that resides near natural water resources, so she headed down to the local river, jumping a fence to do so. Instead of encountering a wild Pokémon, Wiggins found the partially-submerged dead body of a man a few feet from shore and called the police.

After authorities arrived, Wiggins led them to the corpse. Detectives told Wiggins it appeared the body had been there for less than 24 hours. Further details about the case have not been released since the investigation is still ongoing.



In the short time since its release, Pokémon GO has become quite the phenomenon, currently ranking as the most downloaded free app on Apple's U.S. iTunes store. Based on positive industry buzz, Nintendo's stock has already shot up 10 percent since GO's debut, bringing the value of individual shares to its highest point in several months. Pokémon GO seems like it might truly be the next big app to hit the mobile landscape, which makes it all the more unfortunate that such a grisly incident surrounding the game has taken place, especially when it's already succeeded in inspiring many players to get outside and explore their local area.

It's hard to think of a potential outcome to a session of Pokémon GO more disturbing than heading out for a fun time, only to be greeted by such a horrific sight. While it's certainly not at all Nintendo's fault that their game inadvertently led a young woman to a gruesome discovery, death is obviously never something a company wants associated with one of their products.

Will the fact that one person found a dead body put off people from further play of Pokémon GO? Probably not, after all, the chances of it happening again are slim. Still, what happened to Wiggins certainly earns the title of weirdest game-related story of the week.

Pokémon Go is available now on compatible Android and iOS devices.

Source: KTVQ News


well honest it got me interested in trying the app ... it is a weird story nonetheless. Feel bad for the girl...

[Cory]

Still don't have it here in Canada god damnit

[Fnord]

I mean, if it'll help finds dead bodies, why not?

[jagilki]

Riverton Wyoming?


.... No comment.