My Daughter, 14, Was Groomed After Meeting Man on Roblox
Victim’s Mother Exposes Online Predation
A parent whose 14-year-old daughter fell victim to online grooming by a man she met on Roblox criticized the platform for insufficient measures to shield children. The incident began in September 2024 when Carlo Tritta, then 18, initiated contact with the teenager. By the time he was 19, he had manipulated her into sharing explicit photos, according to the mother from Greater Manchester.
Grooming Tactics and Emotional Impact
The mother recounted how her daughter’s conversations with Tritta started as casual chats, but gradually became more intimate. Tritta persuaded her to switch to private messaging apps, offering gifts and a secret phone. “He claimed to love her, sending her takeaways and a phone to her home,” the mother said. The relationship turned sinister as messages grew increasingly disturbing.
When the mother discovered a message on her daughter’s phone, she was overwhelmed. “She was crying, begging me not to look at her phone,” she recalled. “At that moment, I knew something was wrong.” The daughter had been trapped in a cycle of control, with Tritta managing her social media passwords and monitoring her interactions. “He knew who she rode the bus with, who her friends were, and what she did after school,” the mother explained. “She felt isolated and helpless.”
“I was just shocked, bewildered, really angry. Not at my daughter, but at the situation I saw unfolding. It was my child, and I couldn’t believe what I was witnessing,” she added.
The teenager had become so affected by the abuse that she experienced suicidal thoughts and sleeplessness. Tritta’s actions escalated when he breached his bail conditions, traveling over 200 miles from Hampshire to her home. He disabled the doorbell camera and entered the house, discussing nightmares with her while she and her mother prepared for Christmas.
Tritta was sentenced to two years and four months in prison for distributing indecent images, engaging in sexual communications, and causing a child to view sexual content. He also admitted to intimidating a witness and damaging property. During the trial, he targeted the victim, who was aged 13-15, and sent her cards urging her not to support the prosecution. Additionally, he reported her family to authorities.
Roblox’s Safety Measures and Parental Concerns
Roblox, a global gaming platform hosting over 40 million user-created games, stated it was “saddened to hear of this troubling case” and committed to improving safeguards. The company requires age checks for users to ensure communication occurs within similar age groups. “Our policies strictly prohibit child exploitation and include systems to block image sharing and limit chat for younger users,” a spokesperson said.
Despite these measures, the mother argued that the platform remains vulnerable to adult predators. “It’s a kids’ game, but adults are using it to groom children,” she said. “Social media needs to take more responsibility. It should be for kids, not a tool for abuse.” Her goal is to raise awareness among other parents about the risks their children face on such platforms.
