A South Florida woman says her abuse started long before anyone noticed. She recalls being groomed online starting at age 11, and by 14 she was meeting an older man she first encountered on a hookup app. According to her account, he persuaded her to send explicit photos, then later pulled up outside her middle school and drove her to his apartment. Her sister ultimately took her to a police station, where officers brought in federal agents, she says. Now an adult, she is publicly urging parents to put firm, enforceable limits on kids’ phones so predators cannot quietly reach them late at night.
How the contact began
As reported by WPLG Local 10, the teen said she downloaded the hookup app HUD because she believed its age limits were not strictly enforced. Reviews from Ninja Online Dating note that HUD includes messaging and video chat features, tools that can make private conversations with strangers feel deceptively casual.
The person she met there went by the username “Adam0041.” Police later identified him as 30-year-old Osher Mamion. According to a court affidavit cited by WPLG Local 10, he convinced the girl to send explicit images over the course of two days and regularly video chatted with her late at night. She told investigators that Mamion picked her up outside her North Miami middle school and drove her to his apartment. Police say he admitted exchanging photos with her but claimed he did not know she was underage.
Why the problem is growing
Data from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children show just how widespread online grooming and related crimes have become. NCMEC says its CyberTipline received 1.4 million online enticement reports in 2025, including tens of thousands of sextortion cases and a sharp rise in tips linked to child sex trafficking and misuse of generative AI. Those numbers have pushed law enforcement agencies and child-safety organizations to keep repeating the same core message to caregivers: do not wait for something to go wrong before setting device rules and learning how to report suspicious behavior.
What law enforcement advises
The FBI runs school and community outreach programs to help parents understand how grooming actually happens. Agents say predators are not loyal to any one platform and will use social media, games, chat apps and dating services to reach children. On its “Be Smart With Your Kids’ Smartphone” page, the bureau notes, “The only thing common among all of our victims is that they had access to the internet.”
FBI officials encourage parents to have direct, ongoing conversations with kids about what is and is not okay online, to keep accounts supervised when appropriate, and to report suspicious or abusive contact quickly to local law enforcement as well as through the national CyberTipline.
Practical steps for parents
Child-safety advocates and tech experts often stress that there is no single app or setting that can replace parental involvement. They recommend combining clear house rules with basic technical controls: collect phones overnight, regularly review who kids are messaging, limit which apps can be installed, and turn on built-in supervision tools on iPhone and Android devices.
ConnectSafely’s Family Guide to Parental Controls advises parents to be upfront with children when controls are in place, rather than secretly monitoring everything. The group suggests gradually easing restrictions as trust and maturity grow. Families are also urged to keep a short list of reporting options handy and to teach kids that if someone online makes them feel uneasy, embarrassed or pressured, bringing that to a trusted adult is the right move, not something to hide.
Legal notes
Adults who sexually exploit minors online can face both state and federal charges, including online enticement and offenses involving child sexual abuse material. Depending on the case, investigations can be handled by local prosecutors, federal task forces, or both. The FBI’s Violent Crimes Against Children resources describe how agents work with local partners when predators operate across city or state lines.
Families who have questions about potential charges, evidence or next steps are encouraged to contact local police or the nearest U.S. Attorney’s Office. Investigators typically ask that any messages, images, call logs or screenshots be preserved rather than deleted, since those records can become key evidence.
The survivor says she wants families to learn from what she and her parents did not fully see at the time. Her message, as she relayed it to investigators: set “clear boundaries” around devices and online contact. Her full interview is available from WPLG Local 10. If you suspect a child is being groomed or exploited, contact your local police department and file a report with the NCMEC CyberTipline.
