My daughter, 14, was groomed after meeting man on Roblox
A parent in Greater Manchester expressed frustration over the lack of protection on Roblox after her 14-year-old daughter was manipulated into sharing explicit content with a stranger. The incident began in September 2024 when the girl connected with Carlo Tritta, then 18, on the popular gaming platform.
Tritta, now 19 and from Eastleigh, Hampshire, was sentenced to two years and four months in prison following a trial at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court. He admitted to creating child pornography, engaging in sexual conversations, and compelling a 13- to 15-year-old to view sexual images. Additional charges included intimidating a witness and damaging property.
“I said ‘Oh, who’s that?’ and she was crying, begging me not to look at her phone,” the mother recalled. “I knew then it wasn’t just a harmless chat—something terrible was unfolding.”
The mother described how Tritta gradually shifted their interactions to private messaging apps, fostering a fake bond by sending gifts and a secret phone to her home. Over time, the messages grew increasingly disturbing, leaving her daughter feeling trapped and emotionally distressed.
“She was stuck in a situation where he controlled everything—her social media, her friends, her routines,” she said. “She thought she couldn’t escape it. She was even considering suicide and had trouble sleeping.”
Tritta violated his bail conditions by traveling over 200 miles from Hampshire to her house, breaking the doorbell camera and entering without permission. He also sent two cards to the victim, urging her to withhold support from the prosecution and report her family to authorities.
Roblox’s Safeguards
Roblox, a global gaming platform with 40 million user-created games, stated it was “saddened to hear of this troubling case” and dedicated to preventing such incidents. A spokesperson noted that age verification systems limit communication to users of similar ages and those already known.
“With over 144 million daily active users, harm is rare, but we know any incident is one too many,” the company added. “Our policies prohibit child exploitation and include tools to block image sharing and monitor chat for younger players.”
The mother emphasized the need for stricter measures on platforms like Roblox, where adults often exploit children. “It’s a kids’ game, but adults are using it to groom,” she said. “They should make it safer—just for children, not a tool for predators.”
She hopes her story will alert other parents to the risks of online interactions and the importance of monitoring their children’s digital activity. “This could have been avoided with better protection,” she concluded, calling for urgent action from social media and gaming companies.
