Experts warn about online gaming safety after Amber Alert teen found


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LAYTON — The 13-year-old in an Amber Alert issued out of Layton Tuesday night was found safe in Nebraska early Wednesday morning.

Police said a gas station attendant in Grand Island, Nebraska, noticed something suspicious about a car and the people at the gas station Wednesday around 1:15 a.m. The attendant called police, which resulted in the arrest of the suspect, 26-year-old Tadashi Kojima.

Kojima has used several names. He's also been identified as Aaron Zeman and Hunter Fox.

The 13-year-old appears to be in good condition, and police were working on reuniting him with his family in Layton Wednesday. Police said the suspect and the victim exchanged messages in an online game.

Now, experts are warning about risks that exist in online games.

Lt. Travis Lyman with the Layton Police Department said it is not always cellphones where risks can be present among kids, young adults and adults, as what played out, in this case, stemmed from an online game.

With so much tech demanding our attention, experts are boiling it down to two key components that will help protect one's family.

The first key component is communication.

Susan Kennedy, director of community engagement with The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, said that often times kids who have experienced some kind of exploitation online do not feel comfortable going to adults to share what is going on in their online lives.

There is also the worry that once they share, they will have those devices taken away.

"A lot of times, people who are perpetrating harm when kids online, they know that and they're doing things and saying things to isolate that kid and tell them 'you're going to get in trouble.' Or, even sometimes, they're threatening harm, and kids feel like they have to deal with that on their own," Kennedy said.

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The second component in safety measures for parents, Kennedy said, is being on the same social platforms, playing the games their kids are playing and seeing how they are using them.

In this Amber Alert case, the 13-year-old's family contacted police and turned in their son's device after finding messages between the stranger and their son through the "Roblox" game that they said were troubling.

Engaging and seeing through the eyes of the child can be a game changer for parents staying in the know with their kids, Kennedy said.

"The best way to do that is to jump in and play with them," Kennedy said. "And notice as they're playing if they're getting messages; if they're hearing the chat, who's reaching out to them, how they're talking and have conversations with your kids."


The best way to do that is to jump in and play with them. And notice as they're playing if they're getting messages; if they're hearing the chat, who's reaching out to them, how they're talking and have conversations with your kids.

–Susan Kennedy, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children


While they may seem like small steps, they're moving toward a big conversation.

"Sadly, this type of communication — grooming and enticement — that it appears happened in this case is more common than you think," said Lyman.

Not just a "now" conversation, the impact may last years later.

Richard Piatt, director of communications for the Utah Attorney General's Office, said the impact of these situations can be complex.

"The criminal justice system can punish people to the extent that it can, but the point is that the victims still suffer. Part of the reason we say this is such a big deal is that there are many kids that are affected by this and it lasts through their lives," Piatt said.

Layton police said while these cases do happen, rarely does it escalate to the point where someone is enticed out of their home to leave with another person like this.

The suspect in this case will face charges in Utah. In addition, given the crossing of state lines, police said the suspect could face federal charges.

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