‘My daughter, 14, was groomed after meeting man on Roblox’
My Daughter, 14, Was Groomed After Meeting Man on Roblox
A parent from Greater Manchester shared her distress after her 14-year-old daughter became a victim of online grooming through interactions on Roblox. The teenager, who met Carlo Tritta, 18, in September 2024, was manipulated into sharing explicit content with him. The mother expressed frustration, stating the platform had not taken sufficient measures to safeguard children.
The Grooming Process
Tritta, now 19, from Eastleigh, Hampshire, initially engaged the girl in friendly chats on Roblox before escalating the relationship. He later convinced her to transfer their conversations to private messaging apps, where he began sending romantic messages and gifts. The mother described the transition as a calculated move to isolate her daughter.
“I said ‘Oh, who’s that?’ and she was crying and saying ‘Please don’t look at my phone, please don’t look at my phone’.”
Upon reviewing the phone, she uncovered a collection of sexual images and videos, including some that were deeply unsettling. “There were a lot of sexual images, videos, really bad ones,” she recounted, emphasizing the emotional toll on her child.
Legal Consequences
Tritta was sentenced to two years and four months in prison after admitting to making indecent images of a child, engaging in sexual communications, and exposing the girl to explicit content. He also confessed to intimidating a witness and causing property damage.
The abuse was revealed when the mother noticed a suspicious message, prompting her to investigate. Tritta had gained access to her daughter’s social media accounts, monitoring her routines and relationships. This control made it difficult for the girl to escape the situation.
Breaking Bail Conditions
Tritta breached his bail conditions by traveling 200 miles from Hampshire to the victim’s home. He tampered with the doorbell camera and entered the house without permission. “He was just at my kitchen door talking about nightmares while me and my daughter were just sat in the living room writing Christmas cards and watching Christmas TV,” the mother recalled.
“I was just shocked, bewildered, really angry. Not with my daughter because I had to keep saying to her ‘I’m not angry with you’ but I couldn’t speak.”
He also sent her two cards requesting she withdraw support from the prosecution and reported her family to authorities. The mother described the emotional impact: her daughter had become suicidal and struggled with sleep, feeling trapped in the relationship.
Roblox’s Response
Roblox, which hosts 40 million user-generated games, acknowledged the case in a statement. “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 said. They emphasized age verification systems and safety protocols aimed at preventing such incidents.
The mother called for stricter measures, warning other parents about the risks. “It’s dangerous—it needs to be watched,” she insisted. “It’s a kids’ game, but adults are using it to groom children. They need to do something about it.” She urged platforms to limit access for older users and ensure the environment remains safe for minors.
