A 27-year-old man is in custody after authorities claimed he kidnapped and sexually assaulted a child whom he met on the popular video game Roblox.
According to California authorities, they were first alerted to the missing 10-year-old girl on Sunday in Kern County.
In interviews with the girl’s friend, investigators learned the girl was communicating with the man, later identified as Matthew Naval, after the two met through the game Roblox and the gamer chat app Discord.
Police officers reported they found Naval in his car with the girl at a strip mall hundreds of miles away from her home.
Authorities arrested Naval and charged him with kidnapping and unlawful sexual conduct with a minor.
Roblox is one of the most popular video games in the world, with 85 million daily active users. According to the company’s data, about 40% were children under 12.
A spokesperson with the company said the allegations are deeply troubling and the company is actively investigating the matter.
“We have a zero-tolerance policy against child endangerment, and a range of safety features to guard against predatory behavior,” the spokesperson said. “We also partner with law enforcement around the world and are working tirelessly to enhance our safety systems, processes and policies.”
Discord has also been an avenue for potential sexual crimes. In North Carolina, authorities in 2024 accused two men of sharing child sexual abuse material on the app.
“Children are exchanging harmful matter with adults; we get reports of it a lot,” said Lori Meza with the Kern County Sheriff’s Office. “We want to make sure that you know we’re getting on top of it. Rather be a mean parent than not being able to see your kid and kiss them the next morning.”
Discord, primarily used by gamers, was launched 10 years ago. The platform has millions of users and acts as a private chat for specific communities, but authorities said the app can have a dark side.
“I really would tell parents the longer you can push off your kids having these apps. If you don’t understand what the app is, it shouldn’t be on your kid’s phone,” said Evy Poumpouras, an author and former special agent with teh United States Secret Service.
