NASSAU COUNTY, Fla. – The attempted kidnapping of a 5-year-old Nassau County boy after he was groomed by a predator on Roblox exposed “pervasive misrepresentations about safety” by the popular gaming app that create “a breeding ground for predators,” according to a new lawsuit against Roblox Corporation.
The child sexploitation lawsuit was filed in California, where the company is headquartered, by national litigation firm Kherkher Garcia on behalf of a now 6-year-old Nassau County boy, identified as John Doe, and his mother.
The suit claims that Roblox prioritizes financial gain over child welfare by instilling an unfounded sense of safety in guardians and parents when, in reality, the design of the platform makes children easy and accessible prey for pedophiles.
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‘Profound loss of innocence’
According to the lawsuit, the then 5-year-old Doe was an avid user of Roblox, an app marketed for children that boasts over 380 million active monthly users.
READ: Jane Doe v Roblox lawsuit
Doe’s mother let him use the online gaming platform, trusting Roblox’s representations that there were proper safeguards in place for children, the lawsuit claims.
But, according to the complaint against Roblox, the boy started communicating with someone on the app in 2024 who was pretending to be a child but was actually a dangerous male predator.
The lawsuit says the man built trust with the 5-year-old as he groomed him and asked where he went to school so they could meet.
Another student’s parent later called Doe’s mother to report that a suspicious man was following her son and other children around, but before the mother could act, Doe got home and shared a shocking story, according to the complaint.
He told his mother that a man had come up to him and his brother, saying that he was Doe’s friend from Roblox. Doe responded, “You’re not a kid,” and then the man tried to grab Doe, who refused to go with him, the lawsuit says.
When he saw the police arriving, the predator ran off, ending the struggle with the 5-year-old, according to the complaint.
Doe’s mother filed a police report, and the man was eventually arrested.
“This case is a terrifying reminder of the world we live in, where capitalist greed far outweighs humanity,” Sadi R. Antonmattei-Goitia said, partner of the Texas-based Kherkher Garcia. “In allowing apps of these kinds to operate with virtually no restrictions, monitoring or age verification processes in place, we open ‘worlds’ designed for children to depraved individuals with unimaginable intentions and all the resources at their fingertips. We, as parents and citizens, must force systemic change.”
According to the lawsuit, Kherkher Garcia’s internal investigation uncovered alarming Roblox “experiences” mirroring pop-culture references with hundreds of “games” titled “Diddy Party,” “Survive Diddy,” “JeffEpsteinSupporter” and “Escape to Epstein Island.”
The lawsuit asks that Roblox be ordered to pay monetary damages to Doe’s family because the grooming caused “life-altering psychological and emotional injuries.” The amount isn’t specified, but the lawsuit claims that the manipulation and exploitation Doe experienced on the app caused severe mental anguish and pain, and that he endured humiliation, shame, constant fear and a profound loss of innocence.
In Austin, Texas, the judicial panel of multi-district litigation, a six federal judge panel, argues for the plaintiffs and Roblox to determine if multiple cases should be centralized into one court with one judge.
Roblox has a statement on its website regarding communication settings.
Roblox is to require all users to complete an age check to use chat features by the start of 2026. Depending on their age group, users will have specific filters and communication settings in place, ensuring that user-to-user interactions remain age-appropriate. Chat will be limited to users within similar age groups unless they are confirmed as Trusted connections.
Roblox website
Statement from Nassau County Sheriff’s Office
We reached out to the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office, which released this statement:
“The Nassau County Sheriff’s Office would like to address a story currently circulating regarding an alleged attempted kidnapping of a 5-year-old involving the Roblox app. At this time, our agency has not been involved in any such case, nor have any attorneys connected to the matter contacted our office. If anyone has concerns or credible information to share, please contact the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office directly.”