Family alleges Roblox failed to protect child from predator

A Nevada family has filed a lawsuit against Roblox, alleging the gaming platform failed to protect their daughter from a predator she encountered while using the service.

According to the complaint, obtained by PEOPLE and filed in the Clark County District Court in Nevada on 5 June, the abuse began around 2024, when the child was about 11 years old.

Predator posed as a teenage boy

The complaint states that the child was allegedly targeted by an adult male who posed as a teenage boy while playing a game called Chained Together. The man allegedly used communication features within Roblox to groom the child.

He eventually directed her to text messages and other messaging apps, "where he continued the grooming process and escalated the sexual nature of his contact with her," according to the complaint.

Lawsuit details alleged exploitation

The lawsuit alleges the interactions culminated in "horrific sexual exploitation" of the child. This reportedly included the man sending sexually explicit images of himself and coercing the child into sending explicit images in return.

The family claims Roblox's recommendation systems, communication features and lack of meaningful age-verification safeguards helped facilitate the abuse. The family's attorney argues in the complaint: "Had Roblox implemented even basic age and identity verification or other common sense safety measures, [the child] would never have been placed in contact with these predators and would not have been harmed."

Family says they were not warned of risks

The family additionally alleges that Roblox failed to adequately disclose the risks children face on the platform. According to the complaint, the girl's mother would not have allowed her daughter to use Roblox had the company been more transparent about the alleged prevalence of predators and the platform's safety shortcomings.

The suit further alleges that Roblox prioritised company growth over user safety.

Child suffered psychological harm, complaint says

The complaint seeks unspecified damages. It alleges the child, now 12, experienced significant psychological harm, including severe emotional distress, anxiety, fear, humiliation and suicidal ideation that has resulted in ongoing mental health treatment.

Family 'never imagined' such harm could occur

Christian Morris, an attorney for the family, said the family never imagined harm could befall their child while using Roblox. Morris said in a statement to local outlet KTNV: "Roblox holds itself out as a fun place for kids to have fun, and that's exactly what they thought it was. Never in their wildest dreams would they have imagined that by playing a game — Chained Together — that it would end up with these sexually explicit texts destroying the self-image of their daughter, the shame and guilt that she lives with."

Roblox responds to allegations

In a statement to PEOPLE, a representative for Roblox said "criminal behavior has no place" on the platform. The spokesperson added: "While no system is perfect, we continue to evolve and strengthen our protections every day."

Attorney says Roblox has 'known for years'

Alexandra Walsh of Anapol Weiss, who leads the federal litigation alleging that Roblox enabled the sexual exploitation and assault of minors, said in a statement to PEOPLE: "This lawsuit highlights an alarming reality: When Big Tech prioritizes engagement and profits over safety, children are the ones who pay the price."

She continued: "That's exactly what we see in this tragic case — and dozens of other alarmingly similar cases my firm has filed in courts across the country. Roblox has known for years that predators target, groom, and sexually exploit children on its platform. Yet the company has failed to implement basic features that could protect the kids it claims to care about. It's time for Roblox to take responsibility for the harm it's causing."