Latest news with #MatthewMacatunoNaval
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Yahoo
Sheriff: 10-year-old Calif. girl kidnapped by man she met on Roblox, Discord
(KRON) — A 10-year-old California girl was kidnapped by a man who communicated with her through Roblox and Discord, two wildly popular online gaming platforms for children. 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.
Miami Herald
17-04-2025
- Miami Herald
Kidnapped 10-year-old found 250 miles away with man met on Roblox, CA cops say
A kidnapped child was found more than 250 miles away from home with a man they spoke to over Roblox and Discord, California deputies say. Matthew Macatuno Naval, 27, was arrested on multiple charges stemming from the incident, including kidnapping, the Kern County Sheriff's Office said in an April 16 Facebook post. In an April 17 email to McClatchy News, a Roblox spokesperson called the allegations 'deeply troubling.' 'We are actively investigating. 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 did not immediately respond to McClatchy News' request for comment on April 17. Deputies said they responded to a Taft home about a missing 10-year-old at about 10 a.m. Sunday, April 13. The family told deputies they last saw the child at home the night before. Through an investigation, deputies said they learned from the child's friends that they may have been kidnapped. Detectives also learned the child had been speaking with Naval over Roblox, an online gaming platform, and Discord, a voice, video, and text chat app, according to deputies. Deputies said they believed the pair were in the Elk Grove area, about a 270-mile drive north from Taft. After detectives requested help from Elk Grove police, officers found Naval with the missing child in a parked car at a strip mall near his home just hours after the child was reported missing, deputies said. The child was taken to protective custody and later released to their family, deputies said. Naval was booked into jail in Sacramento County shortly after 3:30 p.m. Sunday, April 13, deputies said. In addition to a kidnapping charge, Naval is also facing an 'unlawful sexual conduct with a minor child' charge, deputies said. In an April 17 email to McClatchy News, a Kern County District Attorney's Office spokesperson said Naval was transferred to Kern County Jail on April 16, adding that they expected the Kern County Sheriff's Office to file a complaint request in his case on April 18. Anyone with additional information is asked to contact deputies at 661-861-3110. Deputies urged parents to '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,' deputies said. 'Media monitoring apps are great tools for those who may not know where to begin when monitoring electronic usage.'
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Yahoo
10-year-old girl kidnapped by man she met on Roblox, police say
A California man has been arrested for abducting a 10-year-old child he reportedly met on social media apps Roblox and Discord, authorities said Wednesday. Matthew Macatuno Naval, 27, was arrested Sunday for kidnapping and unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, the Kern County Sheriff's Office said in a news release. CNN is working to determine whether Naval has legal representation. Kern County deputies began on Sunday searching for the child, who is a young girl from Taft, California, according to CNN affiliate KOVR, after her family reported her missing, police said. Following information indicating the possibility that the missing minor was kidnapped, detectives said they uncovered the juvenile had been communicating with Naval via social media, and they were believed to be in the area of Elk Grove, California – more than 250 miles away. Kern County police notified authorities in Elk Grove, who found the child Sunday afternoon, the release said. Naval was arrested and booked in Sacramento County and later transferred to Kern County, where he is being held with bail set at $250,000, according to the Kern County Sheriff's Office. He has a court hearing set for Friday. The sheriff's office warned of the 'importance of internet safety' in the news release, referring to the communications Naval allegedly had with the minor on Roblox and Discord before the abduction. Roblox is an online gaming platform popular with tweens, and Discord is an instant messaging app. '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.' CNN has reached out toe Roblox and Discord for comments. Last month, in response to claims that children are being exposed to harmful content on the site, Roblox's co-founder and CEO Dave Baszucki told the BBC the company takes 'the attitude that any bad, even one bad incident, is one too many.' 'We watch for bullying, we watch for harassment, we filter all of those kinds of things, and I would say behind the scenes, the analysis goes on all the way to, if necessary, reaching out to law enforcement.'
CNN
17-04-2025
- CNN
10-year-old girl kidnapped my man she met on Roblox, police said
A California man has been arrested for abducting a 10-year-old child he reportedly met on social media apps Roblox and Discord, authorities said Wednesday. Matthew Macatuno Naval, 27, was arrested Sunday for kidnapping and unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, the Kern County Sheriff's Office said in a news release. CNN is working to determine whether Naval has legal representation. Kern County deputies began on Sunday searching for the child, who is a young girl from Taft, California, according to CNN affiliate KOVR, after her family reported her missing, police said. Following information indicating the possibility that the missing minor was kidnapped, detectives said they uncovered the juvenile had been communicating with Naval via social media, and they were believed to be in the area of Elk Grove, California – more than 250 miles away. Kern County police notified authorities in Elk Grove, who found the child Sunday afternoon, the release said. Naval was arrested and booked in Sacramento County and later transferred to Kern County, where he is being held with bail set at $250,000, according to the Kern County Sheriff's Office. He has a court hearing set for Friday. The sheriff's office warned of the 'importance of internet safety' in the news release, referring to the communications Naval allegedly had with the minor on Roblox and Discord before the abduction. Roblox is an online gaming platform popular with tweens, and Discord is an instant messaging app. '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.' CNN has reached out toe Roblox and Discord for comments. Last month, in response to claims that children are being exposed to harmful content on the site, Roblox's co-founder and CEO Dave Baszucki told the BBC the company takes 'the attitude that any bad, even one bad incident, is one too many.' 'We watch for bullying, we watch for harassment, we filter all of those kinds of things, and I would say behind the scenes, the analysis goes on all the way to, if necessary, reaching out to law enforcement.'
CNN
17-04-2025
- CNN
10-year-old girl kidnapped my man she met on Roblox, police said
A California man has been arrested for abducting a 10-year-old child he reportedly met on social media apps Roblox and Discord, authorities said Wednesday. Matthew Macatuno Naval, 27, was arrested Sunday for kidnapping and unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, the Kern County Sheriff's Office said in a news release. CNN is working to determine whether Naval has legal representation. Kern County deputies began on Sunday searching for the child, who is a young girl from Taft, California, according to CNN affiliate KOVR, after her family reported her missing, police said. Following information indicating the possibility that the missing minor was kidnapped, detectives said they uncovered the juvenile had been communicating with Naval via social media, and they were believed to be in the area of Elk Grove, California – more than 250 miles away. Kern County police notified authorities in Elk Grove, who found the child Sunday afternoon, the release said. Naval was arrested and booked in Sacramento County and later transferred to Kern County, where he is being held with bail set at $250,000, according to the Kern County Sheriff's Office. He has a court hearing set for Friday. The sheriff's office warned of the 'importance of internet safety' in the news release, referring to the communications Naval allegedly had with the minor on Roblox and Discord before the abduction. Roblox is an online gaming platform popular with tweens, and Discord is an instant messaging app. '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.' CNN has reached out toe Roblox and Discord for comments. Last month, in response to claims that children are being exposed to harmful content on the site, Roblox's co-founder and CEO Dave Baszucki told the BBC the company takes 'the attitude that any bad, even one bad incident, is one too many.' 'We watch for bullying, we watch for harassment, we filter all of those kinds of things, and I would say behind the scenes, the analysis goes on all the way to, if necessary, reaching out to law enforcement.'
