MARTIN COUNTY, Fla. — Two Martin County girls were rescued hundreds of miles away in Georgia after being kidnapped by a man they met online through the popular gaming platform Roblox, according to deputies.
"The communication initially started, we believe, in the summer of 2025 on a gaming app called Roblox," Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek said Monday. "And from that gaming app, these girls were then moved from Roblox over to Snapchat."
WATCH BELOW: Safety expert: Gaming apps can be gateways for predators
The switch from the gaming app to another platform is a warning sign, according to child safety experts. Sarah Marie Henry, executive director of Catch the Wave of Hope, said predators often use this tactic to gain more access to children.
"Gone are the days where the creepy guy is waiting at the mall or the park. That still happens, but it's become so much easier for predators to be waiting online for these kids," Henry said.
Henry works with the Martin County Sheriff's Office to educate families on child safety.
Budensiek said he believes law enforcement prevented something much worse from happening.
"I think we prevented something disastrous. Do I know what was gonna happen? No, none of us did," Budensiek said.
Roblox is an online gaming platform where users create avatars and play on different servers. Players can meet and chat with other users they have likely never seen in real life.
Roblox released a statement saying it is fully supporting law enforcement in their investigation and has safety filters in place, but admits no system is perfect.
Henry recommends parents maintain open communication with their children about online safety.
"Those open, honest conversations and that open, honest relationship is what's so, so important, so that if something is happening, a child can feel comfortable and safe enough to tell their parent or guardian, not in fear that they'll get in trouble," Henry said.
Henry also suggests parents have passcodes and access to their children's devices and urges proactivity to stay vigilant of their children's online activities.
"So I think parents being proactive and children also knowing the dangers, not to scare them, but to make them aware," Henry said.
Neither girl was physically injured, according to the sheriff. The suspect is expected to be extradited to Florida by the end of the week.
The case highlights growing concerns among parents about online safety.
Local father Scott Sobieraj, who has daughters ages 11, 10 and 5, said his children are only allowed to chat with people they have met in real life.
Cray Espat, who has a 6-year-old son, said regulating online activity can be challenging.
"It's very scary when you start to think about some of the things that can happen," Espat said.
