Roblox Faces Three Child Safety Lawsuits in One Month, All Tied to Grooming and Kidnapping Incidents

Roblox

Roblox is under growing legal and public scrutiny after three separate families filed lawsuits in the past month, each accusing the gaming platform of failing to protect children from grooming, exploitation, and abduction.

The lawsuits, filed across different states, share a common theme — predators allegedly used Roblox to meet underage users, establish trust, and then lure them off-platform, often via messaging apps like Discord.

Case 1 – July: 11-Year-Old Girl Groomed and Assaulted

The first case surfaced in early July 2025, when parents of an 11-year-old girl in California claimed she was groomed and sexually assaulted after meeting a stranger on Roblox.

According to the lawsuit, the two “met in a Roblox game before moving their conversations to Discord,” where the predator gained her trust.

The family’s attorney alleges that both platforms “negligently designed their services in ways that made children easy prey” and failed to take “appropriate safeguards to ensure predators were screened and removed.” They also argue that Roblox and Discord “put profits over child safety” by prioritizing user engagement over moderation.

Case 2 – Late July: 13-Year-Old Kidnapped in Iowa

Just weeks later, another case emerged from West Des Moines, Iowa. On May 24, 2025, a 13-year-old girl was allegedly kidnapped by a 37-year-old man she had met on Roblox.

The complaint says she was “introduced to an adult predator on Roblox unbeknownst to her parents, groomed, and then kidnapped — subsequently trafficked across multiple states, and repeatedly sexually abused and raped.”

The family’s legal team claims Roblox “lures parents into believing that its app is an appropriate place for children to play. In reality, and as is well known, the unreasonably dangerous and defective design of its app makes children easy prey for pedophiles.”

The accused, now in custody, faces multiple counts of statutory rape and trafficking. 

The law firm representing the family says it has “over 400 clients with similar stories,” suggesting that these incidents are “not isolated tragedies but part of a systemic failure.”

Case 3 – August: 10-Year-Old Girl Found With 27-Year-Old Man

The most recent lawsuit, filed August 5 in San Mateo Superior Court, involves a 10-year-old girl from Kern County, California. In April 2025, she was found more than 250 miles from home with 27-year-old Matthew Naval — and her pet bird — in a strip mall.

The suit alleges she met Naval through Roblox’s “Mic Up” hangout game before the conversation moved to Discord.

According to the civil complaint, Roblox is a “digital and real-life nightmare” for children, making children "easy prey for pedophiles."

The family alleges the company “knowingly maintains a toxic environment where sexually explicit games and predatory behavior are allowed to exist.” Examples cited include games with disturbing references such as “Escape to Epstein Island” and “Run from Diddy Simulator.” The plaintiffs argue that “playing video games with explicit sexual content normalizes exploitative and predatory behavior” and “blurs the line of what is acceptable in real life.”

Naval, who has pleaded not guilty, reportedly told police the girl claimed she was older and that he was helping her “escape verbal abuse at home.” The lawsuit alleges that Naval and the child “masturbated together over video chat,” with him on camera and her off.

Pattern and Response

All three cases name Discord as well, accusing it of being “a haven for predators” and failing to verify users’ ages despite its 13+ policy. The lawsuits argue that Discord, like Roblox, “prioritizes growth and revenue over child safety.”

Roblox, in a statement to CourtHouse New Service, said: “Protecting children is a top priority, and we invest significant resources in advanced safety technology, including a combination of machine learning and human moderation teams working 24/7 to detect and address inappropriate content and behavior.” Discord similarly stated it is “deeply committed to the safety of our users” and takes “decisive actions” such as banning offenders, removing harmful content, and working with law enforcement.

Despite these assurances, the lawsuits argue that the platforms’ responses have been “too little, too late.” With Roblox reporting 85 million daily active users — 42% of whom are under 12 and 21% under 9 — the stakes are high.