Kidnapped 10-year-old found 250 miles away with man met on Roblox, CA cops say
A kidnapped child was found more than 250 miles away from home with a man they spoke to over Roblox and Discord, California deputies say.
Matthew Macatuno Naval, 27, was arrested on multiple charges stemming from the incident, including kidnapping, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office said in an April 16 Facebook post.
Deputies said they responded to a Taft home about a missing 10-year-old at about 10 a.m. Sunday, April 13.
The family told deputies they last saw the child at home the night before.
Through an investigation, deputies said they learned from the child’s friends that they may have been kidnapped.
Detectives also learned the child had been speaking with Naval over Roblox, an online gaming platform, and Discord, a voice, video, and text chat app, according to deputies.
Deputies said they believed the pair were in the Elk Grove area, about a 270-mile drive north from Taft.
After detectives requested help from Elk Grove police, officers found Naval with the missing child in a parked car at a strip mall near his home just hours after the child was reported missing, deputies said.
The child was taken to protective custody and later released to their family, deputies said.
Naval was booked into jail in Sacramento County shortly after 3:30 p.m. Sunday, April 13, deputies said.
In addition to a kidnapping charge, Naval is also facing an “unlawful sexual conduct with a minor child” charge, deputies said.
In an April 17 email to McClatchy News, a Kern County District Attorney’s Office spokesperson said Naval was transferred to Kern County Jail on April 16, adding that they expected the Kern County Sheriff’s Office to file a complaint request in his case on April 18.
Anyone with additional information is asked to contact deputies at 661-861-3110.
In an April 17 email to McClatchy News, a Roblox spokesperson called the allegations “deeply troubling.”
“We are actively investigating. We have a zero-tolerance policy against child endangerment, and a range of safety features to guard against predatory behavior,” the spokesperson said. “We also partner with law enforcement around the world, and are working tirelessly to enhance our safety systems, processes and policies.”
A Discord spokesperson echoed that sentiment in an emailed statement to McClatchy News, saying the company “has a zero-tolerance policy against abuse and exploitation.”
“We take decisive actions when we detect violations of our policies, including removing content, banning users, shutting down servers, and engaging with law enforcement,” the spokesperson said. “As soon as we became aware of this matter, we provided information to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). We will continue supporting law enforcement in its investigation.”
Deputies urged parents to “monitor all electronic usage and know who your children are communicating with.”
“Many apps and games have messaging capabilities and present the same, if not more, risk as social media platforms,” deputies said. “Media monitoring apps are great tools for those who may not know where to begin when monitoring electronic usage.”
This story was originally published April 17, 2025 at 2:43 PM with the headline "Kidnapped 10-year-old found 250 miles away with man met on Roblox, CA cops say."
