Family sues Roblox after Iowa girl’s kidnapping and sexual abuse

Date:2025-08-05 04:10:51 Category:US Views:1 Comment:0

DES MOINES, Iowa — A lawsuit against the popular gaming platform Roblox alleges it didn’t do enough to protect a 13-year-old Iowa girl from an adult predator she met while on the game, which led to her being kidnapped, sexually abused, and trafficked.

The lawsuit, filed on July 29th by the victim’s family, alleges Roblox Corporation, “enabled the grooming, exploitation, kidnapping and trafficking of a 13-year-old girl by creating a ‘digital hunting ground’ for predators while falsely marketing their platforms as safe for children.”

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The victim was kidnapped from her grandmother’s home in West Des Moines on May 24th, 2025 after being groomed by a 37-year-old man she met through Roblox, who claimed to be a teenager.

“They had every tool necessary to prevent this abuse – age verification, effective parental controls, proper monitoring systems – but implementing these safeguards might have reduced their user engagement metrics, so they chose to leave children vulnerable instead,” said Martin D. Gould, one of the victim’s lawyers.

A statement from Roblox provided to a Chicago news station, where the law firm representing the victim is located, said, “As a policy, we cannot comment on pending litigation, but Roblox is deeply committed to the safety and well-being of our community with tens of millions having positive experiences every day. Protecting children is a top priority, and we invest significant resources in advanced safety technology.”

The suspect in the case has been charged with four counts of aggravated statutory rape in Tennessee and is facing additional charges in Iowa.

The lawsuit was filed in Polk County and seeks compensatory and punitive damages on eight counts, including fraudulent misrepresentation and negligence.