BOONE COUNTY, Ky. (LEX18) — Anapol Weiss Law has filed a 12th lawsuit against the gaming platforms, Roblox and Discord, after a Boone County teen took her own life in 2024.
“These are children who have suffered unimaginable harm because of Roblox,” Huyett said.The Philadelphia-based firm has filed another lawsuit against Roblox — and also targeting Discord — alleging the platforms have allowed child exploitation to flourish.
Roblox, described by its creators as a metaverse for children, has been under legal scrutiny before. Huyett says Anapol Weiss first sued the company a couple of years ago after hearing from parents whose children were allegedly groomed or exploited online.
The latest case centers on 13-year-old Audree Heine, of Boone County, Kentucky, who died by suicide in December 2024. According to the lawsuit, Heine began playing Roblox at age eight, experienced declining mental health, and even recorded a countdown to her death in her journal.
Earlier in October, the Kentucky Attorney General also sued Roblox, calling it “a website of choice for child predators.”
Huyett disputes Roblox’s claim that such risks have been eliminated:
“Roblox says that they no longer are, but that’s just not true. There are experiences that center on Jeffrey Epstein. There’s one called Escape to Epstein Island.”
On Roblox's website, it states it has moderators working to keep users safe: "We filter text chat in multiple languages to block detected inappropriate content, such as discriminatory speech, bullying, extremism, violence, sexual content, and more."
Roblox’s 2023 annual report revealed the platform had 68.5 million active daily users.
- 21% were under 9 years old
- 16% were ages 13–16
The lawsuit cites disturbing examples found on the site:
- Games recreating the 1999 Columbine school shooting
- “Depression rooms” where users can isolate in dark environments
- Avatars shooting minorities while the words “Ethnic Cleansing” appear on screen
According to the lawsuit, a former Roblox employee said, “You can either keep players safe and have fewer users… or let them do what they want, which looks good for investors.”
The filing also claims Discord allows dangerous self-harm content and that adults have blackmailed or threatened teenagers to harm themselves or commit suicide on camera.
Huyett warns that safety guidance isn’t coming from Roblox:
“If parents are going to let children use this app, they should have open conversations with their kids about the dangers that are present on this platform because Roblox surely isn’t telling kids about the dangers.”
If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or thinking about suicide, help is available. Call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.
