Two online platforms sued by boy, 13, alleging abuse by predator
The Brief
Roblox and Discord, online gaming and messaging platforms, named in lawsuit
Boy, 13, says predator used both platforms to solicit explicit images in exchange for money
Lawsuit seeks unspecified damages
SAN MATEO, Calif. - Two online platforms popular with children are being sued on behalf of a 13-year-old boy who says he was taken advantage of by a man posing as a teenager.
What they're saying
The lawsuit filed in San Mateo County Superior Court says Roblox and Discord are liable for allowing a predator to pay the boy for explicit photos.
"He was targeted by a predator who befriended him, thought he was dealing with another teenager," said attorney Anne Marie Murphy, an attorney for the boy. She says the man "paid our client Robux, which is a digital currency, in exchange for video and explicit naked photographs."
According to the lawsuit, it didn't stop there.
"The predator then tried to pay a larger sum of Robux to meet up and have sex. The predator found out the address of the child," Murphy said.
She said the man threatened the boy after he failed to show up. The boy's parents later found texts between the two and contacted police.
Murphy has filed a lawsuit against both San Mateo-based Roblox and Discord of San Francisco, alleging misrepresentation and negligence and saying both companies facilitated child exploitation and abuse.
The other side
In a statement, Roblox said, "We cannot comment on pending litigation. With that being said, Roblox takes the safety of its community very seriously. We are constantly innovating and launching new safety features, including more than 40 safety features and policies in 2024."
Discord did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday.
Murphy says the companies are paying lip service to safety. Her client's father had researched both companies and believed it was safe for his son to sign up. Now they're full of regret, and Murphy says the boy is emotionally scarred.
"This was so devastating to this family that they uprooted themselves from their longtime home," Murphy said.
Murphy says the man accused of preying on the boy, Sebastian Romero, was recently sentenced to 12 years in prison in a sextortion case involving another boy.
Jill Murphy, chief content officer at Common Sense Media, said, "You hear about them, unfortunately, all too frequently when it comes to gaming platforms or social media platforms. We try and encourage parents at common sense media to make sure that they are really paying attention to what their kids are doing online."
A father and daughter, out shopping in San Mateo, told KTVU they, too are worried about dangers online.
"It's very concerning," said Pelayo Carranza. "Hopefully, we've done a good job as parents to prevent that from happening."
His daughter Savannah Carranza, 15, agreed, saying, "It's definitely scary. I have a little sister and the thought of anything like that ever happening to her genuinely freaks me out."
Henry Lee is a KTVU crime reporter. E-mail Henry at Henry.Lee@fox.com and follow him on Twitter @henrykleeKTVU and www.facebook.com/henrykleefan
The Source
Interviews, lawsuit
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Pro-Palestinian activist detained in West Bank
The son of a Pro-Palestinian activist has said he "remains in the dark" after she was detained in the occupied West Bank. Deirdre Murphy, who lives in Swansea, has been held in custody since 31 May when she was arrested in a southern part of the territory. The 70-year-old, originally from Cork, Ireland, had been volunteering with the pro-Palestinian activist group International Solidary Movement (ISM) at the time of her arrest. The Israeli government has been approached for comment. Torsten Bell, Labour MP for Swansea West, said he would do everything he can "to support a swift and just resolution" after raising concerns about Ms Murphy's access to legal representation. The West Bank - the land between the eastern edge of Israel and the western side of the River Jordan - is home to an estimated three million Palestinians. Israel has occupied the West Bank - which Palestinians want as part of any future state - since the Six Day War of 1967, and is continuing to build settlements in the area. Israel and the Palestinians: History of the conflict explained Why are Israel and Hamas fighting in Gaza? What we know about killings near US-Israeli backed Gaza aid site These are regarded as illegal under international law although Israel rejects this position. While Israel has military control of the West Bank, the Oslo Accords of 1995 gave the Palestinian Authority some administrative and security control over certain areas. Ms Murphy's son Dale Ryan told Radio Wales Breakfast his mother was "doing OK" but he remained "in the dark" about when he would see her again. She was arrested last Saturday before being taken to Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, according to her son. He said she was then moved to Givon Prison in Ramla where she has been held since 3 June. "She was detained after being accused of being in a military zone," said Mr Ryan. "Her and another woman, Susanne Björk, who are there with the ISM, were being questioned by the army." According to Irish broadcaster RTÉ, the pair were complying with the order before Israeli settlers, wearing military uniforms, called the police. Mr Ryan, who lives on the Gower peninsula, said his mother was brought to a hearing on Wednesday "without any representation." "There is a lawyer acting on her behalf. Because it's not a trial, they would have been there more as a witness, but she was denied access to her lawyer." said Mr Ryan. Mr Ryan said he had not "personally" spoken to his mothers since the arrest - instead receiving updates from her lawyer and ISM. "My mother is quite a resilient person," he said. "But as the days go on, she is becoming fatigued, and probably a bit anxious about the whole situation." Mr Ryan said his mother has some chest problems, which is "concerning for us", and he is desperate to "know she is in good health." According to an ISM press release, Ms Murphy has been involved as an activist in the region for over two decades and has been based in Swansea since the 1980s. "She went to Palestine in 2004 after setting up a fundraiser where we walked around the Gower in four days," according to Mr Ryan. He said she wanted to "contribute" to the aid and facilities that were being developed at the time. "In the last few years she has spent a lot of time in Masafer Yatta," he added, which according to the press release, is where she got arrested. Ms Murphy's lawyer, Noa Dagoni told the BBC that the handling of the case has been "deeply troubling". "Since her detention at Givon prison, Ms. Murphy has been unable to contact me, despite multiple requests on my part and efforts from her side – the reasons for that remain unclear," she said. She said Ms Murphy had requested legal counsel for "the detention review tribunal hearing as well as representation during the hearing itself". But Ms Dagoni said that apparently "no actual access" had been granted which would "constitute a serious and unlawful violation" of Ms Murphy's rights. Ms Murphy's local MP Bell said "hundreds of constituents" had contacted him with their concerns. "I've been in touch with Deirdre's family and am liaising with both the Irish government, who are providing consular support, and the UK Foreign Office, who have offered their assistance and stand ready to help further." He said he was "particularly concerned" that Ms Murphy may not have legal representation. "We all want to see Deirdre released as soon as possible," he added. The Irish Embassy Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it was "aware of the case and is providing consular assistance." It added that "the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade does not comment on the details of individual cases." The Foreign Office said: "We have not been approached for consular assistance, but our staff stand ready to support British Nationals overseas 24/7." Additional reporting by Shazia Ali Gaza now worse than hell on earth, humanitarian chief tells BBC Israeli military recovers two hostages' bodies in southern Gaza Trauma is every day here, says UK nurse in Gaza
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
Woman killed by train while trying to save dog from New Hampshire tracks: Police
EXETER, N.H. (WJW) – A woman was killed while trying to save a dog from train tracks in New Hampshire earlier this week, law enforcement said. According to the Exeter Police Department, officers and emergency crews responded to a wooded area near Newfields Road in the town of Exeter on Monday afternoon. Train officials told police that there was a crash involving pedestrians. Through the investigation, police learned that two people were walking by the tracks and when an Amtrak train started approaching from around a corner, the dog, which was unleashed, ran onto the tracks. Climber fell about 3,000 feet from Mount McKinley; body recovered They both tried to rescue the dog but were struck by the train, Exeter police said. The woman, identified as 42-year-old Alicia Leonardi, died from her injuries. The other pedestrian, a man, suffered minor injuries in the accident, investigators said. The accident remains under investigation at this time. 'Our sincere condolences go out to the family and friends of Ms. Leonardi,' the police department wrote on Facebook. New video released as manhunt for dad accused of killing girls continues New Hampshire-based news station WMUR-TV spoke with the victim's mother, Cathleen Collis, who said, 'she loved that dog. That dog was everything to her.' According to People and other news outlets, the dog, named Jackson, wasn't injured in the crash. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
White House says Mayor Wu calling ICE ‘secret police' is ‘disgusting' and ‘dangerous'
The White House directly responded to Boston Mayor Michelle Wu's characterization of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents as 'secret police' Thursday afternoon, denouncing her comments as a 'disgusting, dangerous' attack on law enforcement. 'President Trump is keeping his promise to the American people to deport illegal aliens. It's disturbing that Democrats like Mayor Wu would side with illegal immigrants over Americans and stoke hatred against American law enforcement," White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said in a press release. Wu's office did not respond to a request for comment Thursday evening. The White House condemned Wu's doubling down on negative comments about ICE that she first made last weekend at the WBUR Festival. 'Every aspect of what's happening at the federal level is causing harm in our local communities,' the mayor said during an interview at the festival. 'People are terrified for their lives and for their neighbors, folks getting snatched off the street by secret police who are wearing masks, who can offer no justification for why certain people are being taken and then detained.' Read more: Mayor Wu defends calling ICE 'secret police' after Mass. US attorney's criticism The White House took particular issue with a reference Wu made while defending her comments to reporters on Wednesday. When talking about ICE agents' choice to wear masks while making arrests, she brought up the fact that New England-based neo-Nazi group NSC-131 also wears masks in public. 'I don't know of any police department that routinely wears masks,' she said, according to The Boston Globe. 'We know that there are other groups that routinely wear masks. NSC-131, routinely wears masks.' Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons — who was the head of ICE's Boston field office until his promotion earlier this year — said Monday that federal immigration agents wear masks because people have been taking pictures of them and posting them online along with death threats. The White House described Wu's comments as 'fanning the flames of hate while ICE agents face unprecedented threats to themselves and their families,' citing a claim ICE made in May that its officers are 'facing a 413% increase in assaults.' The White House also criticized Wu for 'denigrating' ICE officers in the wake of 'Operation Patriot,' a monthlong enforcement operation the agency carried out across Massachusetts during the month of May. Agents arrested nearly 1,500 people during that time, ICE announced Monday. The White House called attention to 10 suspects ICE arrested as part of the operation, all of whom are Central and South American men who were previously convicted of or charged with serious crimes in Massachusetts or their home countries, according to ICE. The crimes listed include murder, rape, child rape and kidnapping, among others, and two of the men had Interpol Red Notices out against them when ICE arrested them. Read more: ICE detained nearly 1,500 people in Mass. in one month Notably, though, some arrests made during Operation Patriot resulted in outrage and fear in Massachusetts communities. Though Acting ICE Director Lyons said the operation was focused on 'transnational organized crime, gangs and egregious illegal alien offenders,' agents also detained foreign nationals whose only crime was being in the country illegally. On May 12, the agency's arrest of a Brazilian mother on the streets of Worcester led to a heated confrontation between protesters and law enforcement and charges against three women — including a city councilor. Additionally, the Milford community was rocked by ICE officers' decision to arrest and detain an 18-year-old high school student last weekend. He was released on bail on Thursday. The White House is far from the first federal entity or official to condemn Wu's comments. In a social media video posted Wednesday morning, Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Leah Foley decried the mayor's statements as a 'false narrative,' pushing back against the idea that people are being 'snatched off the street.' 'There are no secret police. ICE agents, along with other federal law enforcement partners, are making immigration arrests. That is no secret. They are arresting individuals who are here illegally, which is a violation of federal law,' the U.S. Attorney said. 'Every enforcement action is conducted within the bounds of the Constitution and our laws with oversight, legal justification and accountability. To claim otherwise is a gross misrepresentation and a disservice to the public.' Read more: 'False narratives': Mass. US attorney blasts Boston Mayor Wu over remarks on ICE The mayor defended her characterization of ICE Wednesday afternoon when asked about Foley's criticism at an unrelated event at Boston City Hall. ICE hasn't been 'sharing exactly who was arrested and why,' she said. 'The U.S. attorney is attacking me for saying what Bostonians see with their own eyes,' she said. But on Thursday morning, Lyons posted his own video criticizing the mayor's and other politicians' anti-ICE comments, demanding that they 'stop putting [his] people in danger' with 'made-up talking points that get activists riled up.' 'These are real people with real families you're hurting with your ridiculous rhetoric and inflammatory comments,' Lyons said. 'Government vendetta': Harvard fights back after Trump blocks its foreign students from US 'Not a great day': Trump to visiting German leader on D-Day invasion that led to end of Nazis Trump 'very disappointed' with Elon, who he says has 'Trump Derangement Syndrome' Lawmakers decry FirstLight dam's 300-gallon oil spill into Conn. River Funding cuts, lawsuits, foreign students: The latest on Trump's war with Harvard University Read the original article on MassLive.
