Authorities reported on Wednesday that a California man has been apprehended for allegedly abducting a 10-year-old child whom he reportedly connected with through the social media applications Roblox and Discord. The Kern County Sheriff’s Office stated in a news release that 27-year-old Matthew Macatuno Naval was arrested on Sunday on charges of kidnapping and unlawful sexual conduct with a minor. CNN is currently seeking information regarding Naval’s legal representation. According to CNN affiliate KOVR, deputies from Kern County initiated a search on Sunday for the child, a young girl from Taft, California, after her family reported her missing, police confirmed.
Following the discovery of information suggesting the possibility of the missing minor being kidnapped, detectives revealed that the juvenile had been communicating with Naval via social media, and they were believed to be in the Elk Grove, California area – situated over 250 miles away. The Kern County Police Department alerted authorities in Elk Grove, who successfully located the child on Sunday afternoon, the release detailed. Naval was arrested and booked in Sacramento County before being transferred to Kern County, where he is currently held on a $250,000 bail, according to the Kern County Sheriff’s Office. His court hearing is scheduled for Friday.
In their news release, the sheriff’s office emphasized the “importance of internet safety,” referring to the communications Naval allegedly had with the minor on Roblox and Discord prior to the abduction. Roblox is a popular online gaming platform among pre-teens, and Discord is an instant messaging application. “Parents, please monitor all electronic usage and be aware of who your children are communicating with. Many apps and games have messaging features and pose a similar, if not greater, risk compared to social media platforms.” CNN has reached out to Roblox and Discord for their comments on the matter. Last month, responding to claims of children being exposed to harmful content on the platform, Roblox’s co-founder and CEO Dave Baszucki told the BBC that the company adopts “the attitude that any bad, even one bad incident, is one too many.” “We actively look for bullying, we watch for harassment, we filter all those types of interactions, and I would say that behind the scenes, the analysis extends all the way to, if necessary, contacting law enforcement.”
