Florida Sisters RESCUED—Parents Had No Idea

A 19-year-old Nebraska man allegedly groomed two Florida sisters through Roblox and Snapchat for months before driving 1,500 miles nonstop to abduct them, exposing how unmonitored gaming platforms endanger children while parents remain unaware of digital predators lurking in their homes.

Story Highlights

  • Hser Mu Lah Say, 19, from Omaha, allegedly groomed sisters aged 12 and 15 via Roblox and Snapchat since summer 2025, sending gifts like food deliveries to their Florida home
  • Suspect drove 23 hours straight from Nebraska to Indiantown, Florida, picking up the girls on January 31, 2026, before Georgia State Patrol rescued them on I-75 within 12 hours
  • Martin County Sheriff’s Office recovered digital evidence showing months of romantic communications, warning parents the case “prevented something disastrous”
  • Incident highlights urgent need for parental oversight of children’s online gaming and social media activity as platforms like Roblox become grooming grounds

Online Grooming Escalates to Cross-Country Abduction Plot

Hser Mu Lah Say initiated contact with two sisters from Indiantown, Florida, through Roblox during summer 2025, transitioning communications to Snapchat where romantic exchanges intensified over months. The suspect sent physical gifts, including food deliveries directly to the victims’ home, establishing trust and manipulating the impressionable minors. On January 30, 2026, Say departed Omaha and drove approximately 1,500 miles without stopping, arriving in Indiantown the following morning. He documented his presence with a selfie at a Circle-K gas station, which investigators later linked to his dark Honda CR-V, providing crucial evidence of his intent and location.

Family Intervention Delays Meeting, Triggers Urgent Search

The sisters planned to meet Say at Big Mound Park on Saturday morning, January 31, but a family member intercepted them, confiscating their phones as punishment for the unauthorized contact. Despite this intervention, the girls disappeared around 5:00 PM that evening, prompting their family to call 911 by 8:00 PM. Martin County Sheriff’s Office detectives immediately began recovering digital evidence by reloading Snapchat on the confiscated devices, uncovering the grooming pattern and travel plans to Nebraska. This swift digital forensics work proved critical in alerting multi-state agencies to the unfolding abduction within hours of the disappearance report.

Multi-Agency Response Prevents Potential Disaster

The Martin County Sheriff’s Office coordinated with the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, Florida Highway Patrol, and Georgia State Patrol to track Say’s vehicle heading north on Interstate 75. Early Sunday morning, February 1, 2026, Georgia State Patrol stopped the suspect’s Honda CR-V, safely recovering both girls and arresting Say without incident. Sheriff John Budensiek emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating law enforcement prevented “something disastrous” through rapid interstate collaboration. The suspect faces two counts of kidnapping and two counts of interference with child custody, remaining in a Georgia jail as of February 3, 2026, while investigators execute search warrants on his devices for additional evidence.

Parents Urged to Monitor Children’s Digital Activity

Sheriff Budensiek issued urgent warnings to parents about the dangers lurking on gaming platforms and social media apps frequented by children. The case demonstrates how predators exploit Roblox’s massive young user base to initiate contact before moving victims to private messaging apps like Snapchat, where grooming intensifies away from platform oversight. Investigators noted the communications appeared romantic but are examining whether explicit content exists on the suspect’s device. This incident underscores how children’s online interactions can escalate to real-world threats when parents lack visibility into digital communications. The sheriff stressed that while the girls left “willingly,” their ages made them legally incapable of consenting to travel with an adult stranger, making this a clear-cut abduction case.

The rapid resolution within 12 hours prevented what could have been a prolonged nightmare for the victims and their family. As the investigation continues with forensic analysis of digital devices, this case serves as a stark reminder that parental vigilance over children’s online gaming and social media use is not optional—it is essential to protecting them from predators who use technology to groom and manipulate vulnerable minors. The incident also raises questions about whether gaming platforms and social media companies are doing enough to prevent adults from targeting children, a concern that should prompt stronger safeguards and accountability from these tech giants profiting from young users.

Sources:

Sheriff: Roblox, Snapchat grooming led to kidnapping of Florida sisters by Nebraska man – CBS12