SACRAMENTO, CA – August 13, 2025 | Ayuda California News
A recent case of alleged child abduction connected to the popular video game Roblox has sparked outrage in California and renewed questions about the effectiveness of state laws designed to protect children online.
The victim is a 10-year-old girl from Southern California who, according to authorities, was lured by a man she met on the platform. The child was later found hundreds of miles from her home, at a shopping mall in Elk Grove, south of Sacramento.
The Lawsuit Against Roblox and Discord
The girl’s family filed a civil lawsuit in the San Francisco Bay Area, where Roblox is headquartered. The case also includes Discord, the messaging app where the accused allegedly continued contact with the child.
This is at least the sixth legal case in 2025 against Roblox on behalf of children allegedly harassed or exploited on its platform. Other states, like Florida, are already investigating the company, while California’s Attorney General has not yet taken concrete action.
Why Aren’t Digital Child Protection Laws Being Enforced?
In recent years, California legislators passed two key laws:
These laws aim to ensure that platforms directed at minors automatically enable the strictest privacy settings. However, they are not currently in effect due to a lawsuit filed by NetChoice, a tech industry association that argues these laws violate constitutional rights. Courts issued an injunction preventing Attorney General Rob Bonta from enforcing them.
Roblox’s Response
In a statement, Roblox said it dedicates “substantial resources to detect and prevent inappropriate behavior, including attempts to lure users off the platform, where safety standards may be less strict.”
The Burden Falls on Parents
While the laws remain on hold, families continue to be responsible for activating parental controls. Although platforms offer guides and privacy settings, these are not automatically enabled as the laws intended.
Resources for Parents in California’s Latino Community
Digital safety for children is not only a technological issue—it’s also a cultural and social challenge, especially within Latino families in California, who represent more than 39% of the state’s population. Many parents work long hours, some do not speak English fluently, and others trust that their children “already know about technology.” Predators exploit precisely these gaps to approach minors.
Here are practical steps tailored for our community:
- Review and activate Roblox parental controls
- Go into your child’s account settings and enable age restrictions and contact controls.
- Roblox offers guides in Spanish, but few parents are aware of them. They can be found in the “Parental Controls” section of the official site.
- It’s important to set up a PIN so that only parents can change the settings.
- Monitor external messaging apps like Discord
- Many harassment and abduction cases start in a game but then move to outside chats.
- While Discord is popular among youth, it’s also a space where adults can create private groups to communicate with minors.
- Check who your child is talking to, enable safety filters, and limit access to open servers.
- Have open conversations about online risks
- In Latino culture, it can sometimes be difficult to discuss sensitive topics with children, but it is essential to teach them not to share photos, location, or personal information with strangers.
- Explain that checking their contacts or online friends is not “being nosy” but a way to protect the family.
- Use real examples—such as this Roblox case—so kids understand that dangers are real.
- Seek community support
- Local organizations, churches, and schools in Latino neighborhoods across California offer free digital safety workshops for parents.
- There are Spanish-language hotlines, like the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (1-800-843-5678), where you can report suspicious situations.
- Families can also consult attorneys specializing in child protection and tech company liability to understand their rights.
- Overcome language and trust barriers
- Many immigrant parents hesitate to call the police for fear of their immigration status, but in California, law enforcement agencies have protocols to protect victims regardless of legal status.
- Remember: protecting children comes before any fear about immigration.
At Ayuda California, we believe the Latino community gains strength when it shares information, organizes, and demands greater responsibility from platforms and authorities in protecting children.
Ayuda California: Always By Your Side
At Ayuda California, we deeply regret this case and reaffirm our commitment: the safety of the Latino community in California will always be our priority. No parent should face the anguish of protecting their children in a digital world full of risks alone.
If you need help, legal guidance, or believe your child has been a victim of online harassment or exploitation, call us today. The consultation is free and confidential, regardless of immigration status.
Our services for Latino families include:
- Legal protection for minors who are victims of online or real-life crimes
- Legal guidance in cases of harassment, exploitation, and digital abduction
- Parent education on digital rights and safety tools
- Support in legal actions against negligent tech companies
- Attention in your language: our entire team speaks Spanish
- Guaranteed confidentiality, no matter your immigration status
Call us now and get the guidance your family needs.
Because at Ayuda California, your voice matters, your family counts, and your safety comes first.
