Every parent tries to give their kids privacy—especially when it comes to their virtual-self. We teach kids and teens not to talk to strangers online, don’t post personal information that strangers/“bad people” could get ahold of, and whatever you do, DON’T EVER meet up with someone you’ve met online without taking proper precautions.
After deciding to check her 13-year-old daughter Chloe-Marie’s Facebook messages—just to hold her accountable for said privacy she’s been granted—Kelly Carberry was shocked to find messages from a suspected pedophile.
While looking at Chloe-Marie’s Facebook, a message popped up saying, “Do you promise to keep your mouth shut?”
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“I couldn’t believe it,” Kelly says of her initial shock. “This morning I thought I’d check her Facebook profile and four messages appeared from this weird person.”
Alarmed, Kelly decided to engage in the conversation—posing as her teenage daughter.
“I just started replying to him pretending to be her.”
The alleged pervert, who was also posing as a young girl began giving “Chloe-Marie” (Kelly) instructions to “go in the room and shut your door.” As the conversation continued, the messenger relentlessly tried to “lure her into sick S&M games.”
Kelly engaged in the conversation as her daughter a while longer before laying a smackdown on the pedophile she’d been trying to catch all along.
She revealed herself as Chloe-Marie’s mom and asked, “What do you think you’re doing?”
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Kelly posted screenshots of the messages online to warn other parents about the dangers of pedophiles and their grooming tactics.
Her post warranted dozens of messages from other concerned mothers, and Kelly quickly realized the alleged pedophile had been contacting and trying to groom young girls all over North West England.
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After posting his photo online, Kelly also learned the man’s name, and even found out another mother had reported him to the police weeks ago, who claim they have received the reports, and are hard at work investigating.
Based on the conversations she’s had with other mothers in her area, Kelly believes the man “could have been talking to at least 100 children.”
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As for Chloe-Marie, Kelly says she’s proud her daughter had not responded to the man, but still plans to keep a close eye on all things social media from now on.
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“I’ve spoken to my daughter about online safety but she’s obviously accepted him,” Kelly explains. “I’ve told her what’s gone on. She hadn’t even messaged him back though which is good. I’m going to have to keep everything checked on social media from now on.”
Kelly says it’s just what she has to do as a parent to ensure her daughter’s safety—which is becoming harder and harder at the ripe age of 13.
It’s inevitable that everyone today have an ever-growing virtual presence. May Kelly’s close-call and shocking conversation with a pedophile serve as a reminder to talk with your kids today about the dangers of online predators.
No matter how safe we are, they’re always lurking.
