A 10-year-old girl from Southern California was found safe in Elk Grove on Sunday, just a day after she was reported missing. She had been allegedly kidnapped by a man she had been communicating with on the online gaming platform Roblox and the messaging app Discord.
The Kern County Sheriff’s Office announced that the girl was located hundreds of miles from her home, in the company of 27-year-old Matthew Macatuno Naval. He was arrested on charges of kidnapping and unlawful sexual conduct with a minor.
The girl’s family reported her missing after she failed to return home. Deputies quickly learned from her friends that she might have been taken. Investigators discovered messages between the girl and Naval on Roblox, which led them to Elk Grove.
With help from Elk Grove police, authorities found Naval in his car at a strip mall, with the girl inside. She was taken into protective custody but was soon reunited with her family.
Naval was booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail without bail and is awaiting extradition to Kern County.
The Sheriff’s Office emphasized the importance of internet safety for children, urging parents to monitor their kids’ online interactions closely. They highlighted that many games and apps now have messaging features that can pose risks similar to social media platforms.
Anyone with further information about the case is encouraged to contact the Kern County Sheriff’s Office at (661) 861-3110.