Authorities in Georgia located two underage sisters, residents of Florida, who had been reported missing last Sunday, February 1, after allegedly being kidnapped by a man they met through the internet.

The girls, ages 12 and 14, had initiated contact with the suspect through the Roblox gaming platform and continued talking via Snapchat, according to the Martin County Sheriff's Department report. The conversations included messages of a romantic nature, according to initial investigations.

Suspected kidnapper of two minors arrested

The accused, identified as 19-year-old Hser Mu Lah Say, traveled from Omaha, Nebraska, to Indiantown, Florida, driving approximately 23 hours straight to pick up the girls on Saturday, February 1. Say was arrested and faces charges of kidnapping and interference with the custody of a minor. He is currently awaiting extradition to Florida.

The Georgia State Patrol stopped the vehicle early Sunday morning, and the girls were found safe. Police had previously issued an Amber Alert, indicating that the girls might be with an “Asian adult” in a car with Nebraska license plates. In response, Matt Kaufman, Roblox's Chief Safety Officer, stated that the company is investigating the incident and cooperating with authorities. I have noted that the platform has advanced policies and protections to monitor harmful content and communications, although I have acknowledged that “no system is perfect.” The FBI has repeatedly warned about the use of Roblox by international sex predator networks, who exploit the platform to gain the trust of minors and, in some cases, coordinate kidnappings. Roblox is currently the leading video game platform, with more than 111.8 million daily active users worldwide. In the United States, Approximately half of those under 16 use the service at least once a month from phones, computers, or consoles. The case has once again highlighted the risks of minors interacting with strangers online, as well as the importance of parental supervision and cooperation between platforms and authorities to protect children and adolescents.