(TheIndependentStar.com) – In a world where parental vigilance fights against the dangers lurking online, a harrowing incident involving a 14-year-old Tennessee girl’s gaming connection went from virtual to catastrophically real.
The Tennessee girl went missing and was later found in a wooded area in Louisiana. Authorities reported that 28-year-old Alexander Materne met her on a gaming platform and drove from Louisiana to Tennessee to pick her up.
Materne invited her to his home in St. Rose, where they engaged in illicit activities before he discovered her true age.
Fearful of the legal consequences, Materne left her in a tent with some supplies in Tangipahoa Parish’s woods while he spent Christmas with family in Jennings, Louisiana.
The case took a turn when the girl’s family tracked Materne to Jennings. Their efforts led to police involvement.
“You can’t make this stuff up. It’s a Christmas miracle that she was found safe. This thing could’ve ended badly,” Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff Gerald Sticker stated.
The girl was discovered alive in the woods and later taken to a hospital for evaluation. Her safe recovery was a relief to all involved.
Sticker also praised the girl’s parents’ hard work in finding her: “They were the key to all of this. I’m telling you if they want a job, I’ll hire both of these parents as investigators.”
In addition, the accounts of this case highlight the potential for danger within the seemingly harmless world of online gaming.
Materne now faces a litany of charges, including contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile, felony human trafficking, carnal knowledge, and aggravated kidnapping of a child.
While these charges are a step in the right direction, this case raises questions about whether current laws are sufficiently deterring online predators and protecting American children.
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