A 30-year-old Council Bluffs man accused of using Snapchat to lure and kidnap a 12-year-old girl from Omaha appeared in court Monday, highlighting growing concerns about online predators targeting children through popular social media platforms.
Devon C. Miller admitted to communicating with the 12-year-old victim through Snapchat for about a week before sending an Uber to transport her from Omaha to his Council Bluffs apartment, according to a complaint filed by the Council Bluffs Police Department.
The case underscores the dangers children face on digital platforms, according to Nebraska State Patrol's Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Lieutenant Monty Lovelace.
"The thing that people need to understand is that there are multiple platforms that kids can network with all kinds of offenders, and it's really up to parents to ensure that they know what their kids are looking at," Lovelace said.
Growing concerns about online safety
The incident comes as online safety concerns mount nationwide. A North Carolina family sued popular gaming platform Roblox, claiming it didn't provide adequate safety measures and that their daughter was sexually exploited on the platform.
Roblox responded to the lawsuit, stating they have robust safety measures, including moderators who monitor for individuals attempting to direct conversations off the platform.
"We are deeply troubled by any incident that endangers our users, and safety is a top priority. We dedicate substantial resources, including advanced technology and 24/7 human moderation, to help detect and prevent inappropriate content and behavior, including attempts to direct users off platform, where safety standards and moderation may be less stringent than ours. While no system is perfect, Roblox has implemented rigorous safeguards, including restrictions on sharing personal information, links, and user-to-user image sharing, and prohibiting sexual conversations. We also partner with law enforcement and leading child safety organizations worldwide to combat the sexual exploitation of children," aRoblox Spokesperson said.
Lovelace said Nebraska has also seen reports of inappropriate behavior on Roblox.
"We see a number of cyber tips that come in from the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children, which include Roblox," Lovelace said.
Connection to human trafficking
Online predatory behavior can escalate to human trafficking, according to Lovelace.
"About 39,000 kids that went missing last year for a variety of reasons. It's estimated that 1 in 7 of them could be a victim of human trafficking, meaning that they reached a level of exploitation and victimization where they had been taken from an environment and put into one where they do not have control," Lovelace said.
Safety tips for parents
Lovelace shared three key recommendations for protecting children online:
- Adjust privacy settings on all platforms
- Research the platforms their children are using
- Maintain open communication about what children are doing and who they're talking to online
Miller's bond was set at $1 million. He was granted a public defender and remains in jail. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Sept. 2.
