Mother Sues Roblox After Son’s Tragic Suicide Linked to Online Predator

The mother of a 15-year-old boy who took his own life has filed a lawsuit against Roblox, alleging that the app’s lack of safety measures allowed her son to be coerced into sending explicit photos to an adult predator.

Ethan Dallas was well-known as the star pitcher on a baseball team for teens with autism and was often described as the class clown. His mother, Becca, noted that he formed a friendship with another Roblox player, a child named Nate, who reached out to him online, as detailed in the lawsuit submitted last week in San Francisco County Superior Court.

The two boys played Roblox together every day, often chatting late into the night. Eventually, Nate showed Ethan how to disable certain parental controls they had found.

Once those controls were gone, conversations took a sexual turn and moved to messaging apps, where Nate pressured Ethan to send explicit photos of himself.

This situation caused Ethan significant distress. In one text to his mother, dated December 2023, he expressed feeling “unworthy” and prompted, “If I told you, will you promise not to get mad?”

In a conversation over breakfast at Denny’s near their San Diego home, Ethan opened up to Becca about his troubling interactions with Nate.

Becca recounted her shock, explaining that she viewed Roblox as a “kid’s game.”

After that incident, Ethan seemed to return to normalcy. He engaged with his schoolwork, bought a car from his father, and even excitedly discussed getting his driver’s license.

One night, he woke Becca up, resting his head in her lap and repeatedly saying, “I love you.” Tragically, the next morning, her husband found Ethan lifeless in his room, just four months after the earlier revelation.

In April 2025, law enforcement indicated that “Nate” was likely 37-year-old Timothy O’Connor, who had previously been arrested for child pornography and other charges. O’Connor was deemed mentally unfit for trial, as reported in public records.

Roblox, which boasts around 40 million players under the age of 13—over a third of its user base—faces criticism for not adequately protecting its young users. Despite the platform being aimed at children, it includes features that allow adult users to communicate with minors.

In July, Roblox introduced a facial recognition feature meant to verify user ages, though safety experts contend that determined individuals can circumvent these measures.

A spokesperson for Roblox expressed sadness over Ethan’s death but stated they couldn’t comment on ongoing legal matters. They emphasized the importance of safety and their ongoing efforts to improve protective measures.

In response, a Discord representative noted that their platform requires users to be at least 13 and highlighted their proactive measures against inappropriate content.

Florida Attorney General James Usmierer initiated a child safety investigation concerning Roblox in April, and Louisiana Attorney General Liz Maril filed a lawsuit against the company last month. More than 20 lawsuits related to child exploitation on Roblox have been filed in federal courts this year.

Alexandra Walsh, a partner at Anapol Weiss, mentioned that numerous law firms are collaborating on litigation to establish legal accountability for platforms like Roblox. Becca, who is also suing Discord, is seeking financial compensation for the emotional strain caused by her son’s death.

Becca wishes to tell Ethan’s story, expressing her desire for other parents to be aware of risks associated with online games, stating, “I think my child is safe and scares my parents to know that it won’t happen to me.”

Ethan began playing Roblox in 2015, and his parents had utilized various parental controls to limit his time and approve friend requests. Yet those measures failed to protect him from adult contact, as noted in the report.

Becca believed Roblox monitored conversations, having been temporarily banned herself for using phrases she deemed harmless.

In her words, “Nothing inappropriate was going on or would have penetrated the door.”