RALEIGH, NC (NBC News/WCMH) — A North Carolina mom is warning other parents after what she saw happen to her daughter’s virtual character on an iPad game.
Amber Petersen was watching as her 7-year-old daughter, Brooklyn, play the video game Roblox, when she says she saw her daughter’s avatar being sexually assaulted by other characters.
“Immediately I see male private parts…exposed, and I just throw my book down, grab her screen out of her hand and shield her,” Petersen tells WRAL.
She then went on Facebook to share what she saw as a warning to other parents.
“At first, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. My sweet and innocent daughter’s avatar was being VIOLENTLY GANG-RAPED ON A PLAYGROUND by two males. A female observer approached them and proceeded to jump on her body at the end of the act. Then the 3 characters ran away, leaving my daughter’s avatar laying on her face in the middle of the playground,” the post reads. “Words cannot describe the shock, disgust, and guilt that I am feeling right now, but I’m trying to put those feelings aside so I can get this warning out to others as soon as possible.”
Petersen asked her daughter to leave the room as she investigated the Roblox’s game, which is rated for kids 7 and up. Petersen says she had all the security measures in the settings to protect her child.
She has since deleted the app and has a warning for other parents.
“If you’re like me and you think you’re being vigilant, take another double check,” Petersen tells WRAL
Roblox issued a statement to the Daily Mail about the incident.
“We have identified how this bad actor created the offending action and are putting additional safeguards in place to reduce the possibility of this happening again in the future… We have zero tolerance for this behavior. Our work to ensure a safe platform is always evolving and remains a top priority for us.”