The 10-year-old girl who was kidnapped by a man that was messaging her on gaming platform Roblox has revealed what she was thinking during the ordeal.

Matthew Naval, 27, of California, was arrested on April 13 and charged with kidnapping and unlawful sexual conduct with a minor child – but he defended himself by saying that he was just trying to make a friend. 

The young victim told police that once she realized that she was being kidnapped by the stranger and driven three hours away, she was too afraid to speak up.

The unnamed girl told investigators she thought they were going to a park near her home, but it wasn’t until much later that she realized they were far away, according to court documents obtained by KGET.

‘Once I realized we were far away from my house, I did want to go home but I did not actually ask him to take me home because I did not know how to ask that,’ the girl said.

Naval told police they kissed a few times, and he would have ‘really considered it’ if she’d been willing to engage in sexual activity, according to the documents.

He even attempted to rent a hotel room but was denied because he didn’t have two forms of ID.

However, in a jailhouse interview with the local news station, Naval claimed the girl told him she was 18 and the two ‘pretty much’ just held hands.

Matthew Naval (pictured), 27, was arrested on April 13 after he allegedly kidnapped a 10-year-old girl he met on gaming platform Roblox

Matthew Naval (pictured), 27, was arrested on April 13 after he allegedly kidnapped a 10-year-old girl he met on gaming platform Roblox

Police uncovered communications between Naval and the girl on Roblox, which is popular among preteens

 Police uncovered communications between Naval and the girl on Roblox, which is popular among preteens

‘There was a little, there was just holding hands in some sort. Just pretty much holding hands most of the time,’ Naval said. 

‘She told me she was 18 turning 19. The thing is when we were talking through Roblox, she said everyone she knows always tells her she looks younger than her age.

‘I tend to believe that because likewise for myself, people would tell me myself that I look younger for my age.’

He claimed he met the girl online around March and felt encourage by the Roblox community, which is popular among preteens, to pursue a friendship.

‘We just friended each other and just casual conversations, like how are you, where are you from? And it’s like oh, we’re in the same state, that’s pretty nice … It was on and off,’ he said.

‘They asked me if I wanted to be more than friends. I was a little bit hesitant because of age and what not, but I was pretty much encouraged to do so.’

Naval said he believed that he was just picking up a friend and denied kidnapping the 10-year-old. 

‘I should’ve been more careful. I should’ve been more questioning when it came to having that person involved,’ said Naval.

Naval claimed the girl told him she was 18 and believed her because he also 'looks young for my age'

Naval claimed the girl told him she was 18 and believed her because he also ‘looks young for my age’

‘I personally was supposed to pick up a supposed friend, let’s just say… they gave me their address, they gave me all sorts of info. Pretty much, let’s just say, I gained their trust, or they gained my trust in some sort.

Naval claimed he told the girl to get permission from her parents before they left.

‘They told me they weren’t doing the best at their household for like family reasons. So, I decided you know what I can help you out,’ he said.

‘I did ask were you able to settle it with family on their own, right, before they asked me to get involved. So, pretty much, I did question it.’

Kern County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were dispatched to Cypress Street in Taft, around 110 miles north of Los Angeles, at around 10 a.m. on April 13.

Relatives of the 10-year-old girl reported that she hadn’t been seen since the night before at the Southern California home.

The girl’s friends gave detectives information which led them to believe she had been kidnapped, and they traced her to Naval’s home town of Elk Grove, around 260 miles away in Northern California.

Working with Elk Grove Police, detectives found Naval in his car at a strip mall close to his home, along with the missing girl.

The girl was temporarily taken into protective custody, before being released back to her family and Naval was arrested. He is being held on $1.35 million bail.

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Read more at DailyMail.co.uk