Cyber information adept weighs successful connected ways parents tin support their children harmless connected the internet

This comes aft a VSP serviceman kidnapped a teen successful California and killed each of her household members

ROANOKE, Va. – A erstwhile Virginia State trooper, 28-year-old Austin Edwards, reportedly traveled crossed the state to conscionable a teen helium met online. He abducted her and killed her family. Edwards was killed successful a shootout with constabulary and the teen is present safe, but California constabulary judge she met him online, wherever helium pretended to beryllium younger than his age.

“He developed a narration with her capable wherever we judge determination mightiness person a been an speech of texts possibly telephone calls and helium was capable to get her idiosyncratic information, capable to get her code obviously,” said Officer Ryan Railsback with the Riverside Police Department.

It’s 1 of galore fearfulness stories involving online predators.

One person to location – the execution of 13-year-old Nicole Lovell. She was lured from her location done the Kik chat app successful Blacksburg successful 2016 by 2 Virginia Tech students.

More recently, a 12-year-old from Henry County was abducted aft gathering a 21-year-old antheral from Texas who communicated done Instagram and the Discord app.

“Kids are truthful vulnerable, each you person to bash is person a mates of atrocious days and you don’t deliberation your parents emotion you and this benignant of thing, and yet you person idiosyncratic connected the different extremity taking your broadside of each the problems,” said Eddie Worth, the Executive Director and President of the Safe Surfin’ Foundation.

The instauration is simply a cyber information and work acquisition inaugural created by instrumentality enforcement professionals to support younker online. They besides person ways for parents to support their kids harmless from predators.

“For them, I accidental spot but verify. Know the passwords, cognize however to get into the computers, the iPads. Understand that erstwhile they spell to idiosyncratic else’s location determination are devices determination they tin usage arsenic well,” added Worth.

For resources and much accusation to support younker harmless online, you sojourn the Safe Surfin’ Foundation website.

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About the Author:

Alyssa Rae grew up successful Roanoke and graduated from Virginia Tech. An avid sports fan, she spent her archetypal 8 years successful TV arsenic a sports anchor and reporter.