A distraught mother has issued a terrifying warning after her 11-year-old daughter was sexually assaulted by a man she met on the popular online game Roblox.
The family's story is part of a tidal wave of nearly 400 lawsuits against the Roblox Corporation, with legal experts accusing the company of prioritizing profits over child safety.
Speaking on the horrifying aftermath, the mother said: 'It definitely brutalized my child. It brutalized us as a family. We will never, ever be the same.'
The emotional toll has been immense. 'I watched my daughter turn from this happy little girl to this depressed, dark person,' she revealed.
The mother told the U.S. Sun that the predator, Anthony Joshua Borgesano, who was 20 at the time, posed as a 15-year-old boy.
He initially contacted her daughter on Roblox before persuading her to move to Discord.
Once he earned her trust, the lawsuit states he traveled 85 miles across Florida to her grandfather's house, lured her into his vehicle, and violently raped her.
He was later convicted of four separate offenses, placed on the sex offender's register, and is currently serving a 25-year sentence.
The popular online game Roblox is at the center of a legal battle, with nearly 400 lawsuits alleging the company is failing to protect its young users from predators.
The perpetrator, Anthony Joshua Borgesano, who was 20 at the time, posed as a teenager. He groomed the girl on Roblox and Discord before traveling 85 miles to rape her.
The family's legal team is led by attorney Matt Dolman, who did not mince words when discussing the company's alleged actions.
'They've lied so many times, it's hard to keep up with Roblox's lies,' Dolman said. 'So no, I don't think the product is safe. I hope Roblox goes out of business.'
Dolman is adamant that this is not an isolated issue. 'This isn't some lawyer sharing some trumped-up facts with you. This is countless arrests and law enforcement investigations into sexual predation, abuse, grooming, and exploitation of minors. They knew this; they did nothing about it because they didn't care.'
He also addressed the issue of parental blame, a common refrain in these cases.
'They're going to say the parents could have done a better job of parenting, that they should have been aware of what their kids are up to. Frankly... that's bullshit,' he stated bluntly.
Dolman compared the situation to hiring a babysitter.
'You hire a babysitter; you vet that person carefully. You don't expect them to invite their 26-year-old or 40-year-old boyfriend over to watch your kid with them. That's what goes on every day on the Roblox platform. And there's nobody to watch for these children.'
In response to the lawsuits and criticism, a Roblox spokesperson said: 'We are deeply troubled by any incident that endangers our users, and safety is a top priority.'
Borgesano was convicted and is currently serving a 25-year sentence.
Roblox denies the allegations, stating that they have safety measures in place, including new age verification and AI detection systems.
'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,' they added.
The spokesperson also admitted that 'no system is perfect' but noted the company is working with law enforcement and leading child safety organizations worldwide.
But for the mother, the company's actions are simply not enough.
'This isn't an oversight. This isn't a mistake. This is a complete systemic failure. And I want to see them held accountable,' she said angrily, ending with a powerful plea for all parents to take action.
'My daughter's not the first, and she won't be the last if we don't come together. This needs to stop.'