10:56 AM CST on Monday, December 27, 2004

Associated Press

HOUSTON -- An online casino that bought a cheese sandwich said to bear the Virgin Mary's image and a plate that supposedly came from the Titanic has struck again -- this time paying a man $5,300 for his naughty children's Christmas gifts.

The Pasadena man said last week that he decided to auction the three Nintendo DS game systems because his sons, ages 9, 11, and 15, had misbehaved.

The family's decision made national headlines, intriguing GoldenPalace.com, casino spokesman Monty Kerr said.

"Everybody knows Santa doesn't come to naughty kids," Kerr said Sunday.

The man, speaking on condition of anonymity, said his family will use the money to buy a new heating system for his Pasadena church. He said he was shocked by the attention his story received.

"When doing what is normal and standard in childrearing by teaching your children good, honest family values and giving them a sense of accountability becomes a newsworthy item, what does that say about America today?" he said.

The casino, which has paid about $108,000 for eBay oddities in just more than a month, plans to donate the game systems to a needy Houston family, Kerr said.