Bakersfield, California – A Filipino-American man, Matthew Macatuno Naval, 27, is in custody for allegedly kidnapping a 10-year-old girl he met on Roblox. Arrested on April 13 and held in Kern County Jail on $1.35 million bail, he faces felony charges including kidnapping and lewd acts with a minor.
According to court documents, Naval allegedly picked up the child in Taft after online communication. Instead of a nearby park, they traveled over 250 miles to Elk Grove. Authorities reported that the girl became disoriented during the long drive and realized she was far from home. Elk Grove police found Naval with her in his car in a strip mall parking lot.
Key details of the investigation include:
- The girl’s family reported her missing that morning and used a tracking application to trace her phone to a hotspot identified as “Matthew’s iPhone.”
- Investigators also linked Naval to a Roblox username found in the girl’s online friends list.
The Filipino-American man claimed he believed the girl was 18 and denied sexual contact. However, court documents show he admitted to kissing her and considering sexual acts if she consented. He was also reportedly denied a hotel room due to insufficient ID. His lawyer stated he has autism and struggles with social cues, arguing he only sought friendship.
Court records also revealed a concerning social media post from the child, who reportedly uploaded a video on TikTok captioned, “First time getting kidnapped, lmao,” showing a view from a moving car.
Naval is scheduled for a preliminary court hearing in June. This case has garnered attention within both local communities and the Filipino-American population, prompting law enforcement to caution parents about the risks associated with unsupervised online interactions on gaming and social media platforms.
