2 months ago
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BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) -- The California antheral accused of kidnapping a 10-year-old miss from Kern County aft getting to cognize her online done Roblox says she "told maine she was 18." Mathew Naval says helium did not cognize the girl's existent property until helium was arrested.
Naval, who is from Elk Grove successful Sacramento County, was arrested connected suspicion of kidnapping and unlawful intersexual conduct aft being recovered with a 10-year-old Taft miss earlier this month.
During the interrogation with YourCentralValley.com's sister presumption KGET.com, Matthew Naval utilized the pronouns "she, her, they and them" interchangeably to picture the alleged victim. Naval spoke with KGET.com connected Monday astatine the Lerdo Justice Facility, wherever he's being held connected $1.35 cardinal bail.
Naval allegedly picked up the miss aft communicating with her done the online crippled Roblox, according to Kern County Sheriff’s Office. She was located the adjacent time and returned to her family.
"I should've been much careful. I should've been much questioning erstwhile it came to having that idiosyncratic involved," said Naval, who's facing 7 felony charges, including kidnapping and committing enactment acts with a minor.
He has pleaded not blameworthy to each charges.
"I personally was expected to prime up a expected friend, let's conscionable say," Naval explained. "They gave maine their address, they gave maine each sorts of info. Pretty much, let's conscionable say, I gained their trust, oregon they gained my spot successful immoderate sort."
That person of Naval's is the 10-year-old miss from Taft. The 2 met connected Roblox, the online video crippled platform. Specifically, Naval said, connected the crippled Mic Up - a dependable chatting feature. There's besides a mentation of it for those 17 and up. Age verification is required.
"Of course, that's similar the socializing mode connected my end," Naval said of Roblox.
He added, "Around Elk Grove, let's conscionable say, schoolhouse societal beingness is not that unfastened arsenic I expected it to [be]."
Naval said he's enrolled successful assemblage assemblage for a nursing degree. He noted helium and the alleged unfortunate met online astir March.
"We conscionable friended each different and conscionable casual conversations, similar however are you, wherever are you from? And it's similar oh, we're successful the aforesaid state, that's beauteous bully ... It was connected and off," helium recalled.
"They asked maine if I wanted to beryllium much than friends. I was a small spot hesitant due to the fact that of property and what not, but I was beauteous overmuch encouraged to bash so," Naval said.
Encouraged, helium said, by his online assemblage -- different Roblox users.
Matthew Naval: "She told maine she was 18 turning 19."
KGET.com's Jenny Huh: "So, erstwhile did you observe she was 10 years old?"
Matthew Naval: "Ooh, I would say, I'm sorry, it sickens maine each clip I perceive that age. I deliberation erstwhile I was questioned. When I was taken successful for questioning for the archetypal time."
KGET.com asked if Naval ever suspected her age, arsenic she appears young successful the representation the sheriff's bureau utilized erstwhile she was reported missing.
"The happening is erstwhile we were talking done Roblox, she said everyone she knows ever tells her she looks younger than her age. I thin to judge that due to the fact that likewise for myself, radical would archer maine myself that I look younger for my age," Naval said.
Naval drove from Sacramento County down to Kern County - a four-hour drive. He said helium picked up the miss astatine 1 a.m. Sunday, April 13.
"That's erstwhile everything fell apart," Naval said. "They told maine they weren't doing the champion astatine their household for similar household reasons. So, I decided you cognize what I tin assistance you out."
Naval denies helium kidnapped her and said helium asked if they should get her parents' support first.
"I did inquire were you capable to settee it with household connected their own, right, earlier they asked maine to get involved. So, beauteous much, I did question it."
Naval was arrested aboriginal that Sunday day successful Elk Grove astatine a portion promenade adjacent his home.
"There was a little, determination was conscionable holding hands successful immoderate sort. Just beauteous overmuch holding hands astir of the time," Naval said.
KGET.com's' Jenny Huh: "No intersexual actions, nary intersexual conversations?"
Matthew Naval: "No, ma'am."
Naval's lawyer Mark Anthony Raimondo told KGET.com aft his Monday arraignment that Naval is connected the autism spectrum. KGET.com asked Naval astir that.
"No, I judge that's my occupation presumption … I did enactment with kids who are connected the spectrum with autism. Yeah, I was conscionable starting for my 2nd time successful tract training," helium answered.
Online information experts KGET.com spoke to said the champion happening parents tin bash is cognize what apps their kids are using.
