Sheriff: 10-year-old Calif. girl kidnapped by man she met on Roblox, Discord
The girl's family reported her missing to the Kern County Sheriff's Office at 10 a.m. on April 13. Family members told deputies that the girl was last seen the night before, when she was at home. She vanished between bedtime and the next morning.
Sheriff's detectives searched the girl's digital devices and accounts on Roblox and Discord. Her online communications revealed that a 27-year-old man, Matthew Macatuno Naval, had exchanged messages with her.
Naval lives in Elk Grove, Calif. in Sacramento County, 300 miles north from the girl's home in Kern County. 'It was suspected that the victim was communicating with Naval through Roblox and Discord, leading to their abduction,' the sheriff's office wrote.
Detectives alerted the Elk Grove Police Department. EGPD officers found Naval with the 10-year-old girl at a strip mall in Elk Grove.
'The juvenile was located and temporarily taken into protective custody until released back to their family,' the sheriff's office wrote.
On April 13 at 3:35 p.m., Naval was arrested on suspicion of kidnapping and unlawful sexual conduct with a minor child.
Naval was booked into a Kern County jail on the following charges: kidnapping, contacting a minor with intent to commit a sexual offense, and committing lewd acts against a child. The accused predator is scheduled to make his first court appearance Friday.
The incident is a stark reminder for all parents to closely monitor their child's online communications, both on social media sites such as Instagram, and gaming apps like Roblox, investigators said.
'Kern County Sheriff's Office would like to take this time to remind our community of the importance of internet safety. Parents, monitor all electronic usage and know who your children are communicating with. Many apps and games have messaging capabilities and present the same, if not more, risk as social media platforms. Media monitoring apps are great tools for those who may not know where to begin when monitoring electronic usage,' the sheriff's office wrote.
Naval remains in custody with bail set at $250,000.
A lawsuit filed earlier this year in San Mateo County court against Roblox and Discord claims that the platforms provide 'a hunting ground for child sex predators.' The suit was filed on behalf of a 13-year-old boy. Attorneys said the boy's parents 'learned the truth only after it was too late. In 2024, they discovered that Roblox and Discord had enabled a child predator to identify, groom, and coerce (the boy) into sending sexually explicit images and videos of himself.'
Roblox, which is headquartered in San Mateo, made updates to improve its parental control features last year. The company wrote on its blog, 'We are always working to make chat incredibly safe.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Associated Press
2 hours ago
- Associated Press
RBLX Investors Have Opportunity to Join Roblox Corporation Fraud Investigation with the Schall Law Firm
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug 17, 2025-- The Schall Law Firm, a national shareholder rights litigation firm, announces that it is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Roblox Corporation ('Roblox' or 'the Company') (NYSE: RBLX ) for violations of the securities laws. The investigation focuses on whether the Company issued false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose information pertinent to investors. Roblox is the subject of a lawsuit filed by the State of Louisiana which alleges the Company fails to protect children from predators on its gaming platform. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said, 'Due to Roblox's lack of safety protocols, it endangers the safety of the children of Louisiana. Roblox is overrun with harmful content and child predators because it prioritizes user growth, revenue, and profits over child safety. Every parent should be aware of the clear and present danger poised to their children by Roblox so they can prevent the unthinkable from ever happening in their own home.' Based on this news, shares of Roblox fell by more than 6.3% on August 15, 2025. If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate. We also encourage you to contact Brian Schall of the Schall Law Firm, 2049 Century Park East, Suite 2460, Los Angeles, CA 90067, at 310-301-3335, to discuss your rights free of charge. You can also reach us through the firm's website at or by email at [email protected]. The Schall Law Firm represents investors around the world and specializes in securities class action lawsuits and shareholder rights litigation. This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and rules of ethics. View source version on CONTACT: The Schall Law Firm Brian Schall, Esq. 310-301-3335 [email protected] KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT PROFESSIONAL SERVICES LEGAL SOURCE: The Schall Law Firm Copyright Business Wire 2025. PUB: 08/17/2025 05:45 PM/DISC: 08/17/2025 05:44 PM
Business Wire
5 hours ago
- Business Wire
RBLX Investors Have Opportunity to Join Roblox Corporation Fraud Investigation with the Schall Law Firm
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The Schall Law Firm, a national shareholder rights litigation firm, announces that it is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Roblox Corporation ('Roblox' or 'the Company') (NYSE: RBLX) for violations of the securities laws. The investigation focuses on whether the Company issued false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose information pertinent to investors. Roblox is the subject of a lawsuit filed by the State of Louisiana which alleges the Company fails to protect children from predators on its gaming platform. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said, 'Due to Roblox's lack of safety protocols, it endangers the safety of the children of Louisiana. Roblox is overrun with harmful content and child predators because it prioritizes user growth, revenue, and profits over child safety. Every parent should be aware of the clear and present danger poised to their children by Roblox so they can prevent the unthinkable from ever happening in their own home.' Based on this news, shares of Roblox fell by more than 6.3% on August 15, 2025. If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate. We also encourage you to contact Brian Schall of the Schall Law Firm, 2049 Century Park East, Suite 2460, Los Angeles, CA 90067, at 310-301-3335, to discuss your rights free of charge. You can also reach us through the firm's website at or by email at bschall@ The Schall Law Firm represents investors around the world and specializes in securities class action lawsuits and shareholder rights litigation. This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and rules of ethics.
New York Post
10 hours ago
- New York Post
Long Island teen attacked with metal 'Stanley' mug speaks out
A Long Island teen who needed 17 stitches when another girl's mom allegedly bashed her with a metal 'Stanley' water mug says she's too traumatized to return to school — much less ever use the brand of cup again. 'I'm shaking all the time,' said Madison Evans, a 14-year-old student at Brentwood High School, to The Post. 'I can't even look at those cups anymore. Every time I see one, it just brings it all back.' Madison said her horrific ordeal began when she was leaving summer school as usual one day at Brentwood last week and was approached by two girls she had never spoken to before. 7 Madison Evans, a 14-year-old student at Brentwood High School, needed 17 stitches when another girl's mom allegedly hit her with a metal 'Stanley' water mug, and is 'shaking all the time.' ABC 7 NY The girls, including a 15-year-old, have issues with her cousin, which made her a target by extension, Madison said. When the pair began bullying Madison outside the Suffolk County school, she verbally pushed back, she said. In a video obtained by The Post, Madison and one of the girls are seen arguing and being held back by security — while Toni Monroe, the 35-year-old mother of the 15-year-old, is standing next to her daughter and yelling. At one point, Monroe can be heard saying, 'Give me your Stanley' to her daughter, who obliges. The 15-year-old and Monroe then charge Madison, punching her and hitting her in the head multiple times with the cup, according to the video. Eyewitnesses claimed that afterward, Monroe tried to run away before being apprehended by security. 7 In a video obtained by The Post, Madison and one of the girls are seen arguing and being held back by security outside Brentwood High School. ABC 7 NY Madison described the chaos of the fight to The Post and the moment she realized blood was streaming down her face. 'I thought I was going to die,' she said. Police arrested Monroe, who had no prior criminal record, in the parking lot. 7 The 15-year-old and her 35-year-old mother, Toni Monroe, then charged at Madison, punching her and hitting her in the head multiple times with the cup. ABC 7 NY Madison said that at first, she was completely unaware that it was the girl's mother who jumped into the fight. 'I was kind of shocked,' she said of realizing it was Monroe who was swinging the bottle at her. 'I thought it was another student, but then when I looked at her, she had a tattoo — but then I just kept trying to defend myself.' 7 Police arrested Monroe, who had no prior criminal record. ABC 7 NY Monroe's daughter later defended her mom's actions on Instagram, claiming she only tried to break up the fight between her and Madison and was not actually trying to hurt the teen. But Shameakca Forney, Monroe's guardian, called the claim laughable and said the video and the 17 stitches on the teen's head are all the proof she needs to debunk that. 'If you're going to let the kids fight, then let the kids fight — kids will be kids, we've all done it growing up — but you don't jump in and fight kids,' Forney said. 7 'I thought it was another student, but then when I looked at her, she had a tattoo — but then I just kept trying to defend myself,' Madison said. ABC 7 NY Monroe, who claimed she was at the school to complain about bullying against her daughter, was arrested and charged with assault. She was released without bail but ordered to wear an ankle monitor and barred from contacting Madison. In court, Monroe's lawyer insisted it was her daughter who was being bullied. But students said Monroe's daughter is the one known to cause issues between herself and other students. 7 Madison's injuries. ABC 7 NY Madison's family said there is no excuse for Monroe's actions regardless of the situation. 'As a mom you're supposed to diffuse the situation and take your daughter away to see what's going on instead of attacking a kid with a cup,' said Madison's cousin, Tyleen Smith. Brentwood schools Superintendent Wanda Ortiz-Rivera called the incident 'unacceptable' and promised that 'the safety and well-being of our students is always our highest priority,' adding, 'This type of behavior will not be tolerated in our schools.' 7 Monroe claimed she was at the school to complain about bullying against her daughter, but students said Monroe's daughter is the one known to cause issues between herself and other students. ABC 7 NY For Madison, though, the damage is already done. The thought of returning to Brentwood High fills her with dread, and she doesn't feel safe walking the halls again, she said. She has yet to return to the classroom. She also said that while she enjoyed using Stanley mugs before, the thought of it now makes her sick.
