‘My daughter, 14, was groomed after meeting man on Roblox’
Roblox Grooming Case Sparks Concern Over Online Safety
A 14-year-old girl from Greater Manchester became the victim of online grooming after connecting with a stranger on the popular gaming platform Roblox, her mother revealed. The incident unfolded in September 2024, when the teenager met Carlo Tritta, then 18, who later manipulated her into sharing explicit content. The mother described her emotional reaction upon discovering the abuse: “Shocked, bewildered, and really angry” when she noticed alarming messages on her daughter’s phone. She recounted how her child pleaded with her not to look, but the evidence on the screen exposed a devastating truth.
Details of the Abuse
Tritta, now 19 and from Eastleigh, Hampshire, was sentenced to two years and four months in prison after admitting to multiple offenses. These included creating indecent images of a child, engaging in sexual communication with a minor, and exposing her to explicit content. He also faced charges of intimidating a witness and causing property damage. The abuse escalated when Tritta transitioned their conversations to other platforms, using tactics like sending gifts and a private phone number to build trust.
“I was just shocked, bewildered, really angry,” the mother said. “Not with my daughter because I had to keep saying to her ‘I’m not angry with you’ but I couldn’t speak. I don’t think your brain can take in what you’re seeing and obviously that’s your child.”
The mother shared how her daughter became emotionally trapped, with Tritta controlling access to her social media accounts and personal life. “He knew who she got the bus home with, who her friends were, and what activities she did outside of school,” she explained. This level of surveillance left the girl feeling isolated and suicidal, struggling with sleep and self-doubt.
Roblox’s Response
Following the case, Roblox issued a statement acknowledging the incident. “We are saddened to hear of this troubling case and committed to building safeguards to prevent such occurrences,” the spokesperson said. The platform, which boasts over 144 million daily active users, requires age verification to limit interactions to users of similar ages or those already known to the child. Safety measures include restrictions on chat for younger users and tools to block inappropriate image sharing.
“With more than 144 million daily active users on Roblox, cases of harm are rare, but we know any incident of harm is one too many,” the spokesperson added. “Our policies firmly prohibit child exploitation, and we have extensive safety systems to help prevent user-to-user image sharing, limit chat for younger users, and block the sharing of explicit content.”
Tritta’s actions culminated in a dramatic breach of trust. After being released on bail, he traveled 200 miles from Hampshire to the victim’s home, damaging the doorbell camera and entering without permission. During the visit, he spoke to the mother while she and her daughter were crafting Christmas cards and watching holiday TV. Tritta also sent the girl two cards, urging her to withhold support from the prosecution and report her family to authorities.
Call for Greater Parental Vigilance
The mother emphasized the need for increased awareness among parents, warning of the risks associated with children using platforms like Roblox. “It’s a kids’ game, but adults are getting on there to groom children,” she stated. “They need to do something about it. It should just be for kids—not for adults to exploit.” She urged social media platforms to enhance their safety protocols to better protect young users from online predators.
