ROANOKE, Va. – Roanoke families are being urged to stay alert as police and city schools warn of an alarming rise in online predators targeting children through popular gaming platforms like Roblox and chat apps such as Discord.
A letter released this week by the Roanoke Police Department and Roanoke City Public Schools, highlights the growing risks and calls on parents to play a more active role in monitoring their children’s online activity.
The warning comes as national data shows the CyberTipline received more than 20 million reports of suspected child exploitation in 2024. Police also say the issue is especially urgent during Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, noting online abuse and mental health struggles can collide, putting kids at even greater risks.
10 News spoke to a few local parents who voiced their concerns.
“I feel very upset and disappointed with the world that we live in today when it comes to that kind of conduct and what kids are exposed to now,” said Ethan Adams, who has a 7-year-old son.
“It angers me,” Devin Campbell, a parent of two teens, said. “The fact that there’s actually people out there in this world that are preying on children and things like that. They’re innocent children.”
According to Roanoke Police, predators often start with casual conversations in games like Roblox or chat apps like Discord, then move those interactions into private spaces. What begins as a simple friendship then escalates into pressuring kids to share personal photos, sometimes leading to blackmail and abuse.
Campbell says that reality makes parenting even more difficult.
“We want our kids to be kids, we want to give some freedom as they grow,” Campbell said. “But how can we do that if there’s predators out in the world?”
Police say parents can take simple but crucial steps to protect their children. That includes keeping devices in shared spaces, regularly talking with kids about what they’re doing online, checking who they are communicating with, and reminding them to never share personal photos or information.
Adams says he makes it a point to take his son’s internet exposure seriously early on.
“That’s something we are already strictly working on, even at such a young age. I don’t want him clicking on certain things,” Adams said. “God forbid if he ever does see something, I want him to come to me immediately about it, we just keep a very open and honest line of communication.”
Campbell believes solutions should also focus on mental health.
“For the adults that are preying on our children, we need to check in with them as well to figure out what’s going on in their brains,” Campbell said. Why are they acting this way?”
Roanoke Police urge parent to watch out for warning signs, including, sudden changes in mood or behavior, withdrawing from friends or activities, talking about death or not being wanted, and secretive new “online friends”.
Authorities encourage families to save any evidence and to contact police immediately if they suspect their child is being targeted. They also recommend taking the device offline.