SJSO warns of ‘dangerous’ social media trend where teens seek out and confront sexual predators

ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Florida. – The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office is issuing an urgent warning to parents after officers confirmed they are investigating two separate cases involving a potentially dangerous social media trend.

According to the sheriff’s office, this trend is in line with the trend of teens reaching out to and confronting sexual predators.

One incident took place on the night of July 24, the other the following night.

The sheriff’s office explained that in both cases, the teens used the dating app Grindr to find suspects who were willing to meet up. Detectives said the teens did this with groups of friends of a similar age. They further said that both groups of teens got the idea after following videos they saw on social media that were intended to publicly shame online predators.

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News4JAX Crime and Safety Analyst Tom Hackney didn’t mince his words when he heard about the trend. His background includes working in sex crimes with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.

“This is by far the most unique, stupidest thing these kids could do,” Hackney said. “It’s so dangerous. If this trend continues, it’s going to cost a child’s life. It’s true.”

Hackney said these types of predators look for opportunities and they jump on them no matter how they present themselves. To emphasize this, Hackney recalled the 2013 rape and murder of 8-year-old Cherish Perrywinkle in Jacksonville.

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Donald Smith, a known sex offender, kidnapped Perrywinkle after befriending the girl’s mother after seeing her in a store struggling to buy clothes for her daughters. Smith was sentenced to death for the crime.

“If you’re approached by someone at a Dollar General store, and they want to babysit your child and buy them some clothes, those are opportunities that are happening,” Hackney explained. “And here’s an opportunity for someone who is an offender or a predator to be approached by someone, that’s just horrifying.”

Therefore, parents should talk to their children about these dangers and always monitor what they do online.

Hackney said it’s important for children to understand that this is not television or social media, but real life.

“Let them grow up, don’t interfere in their business,” Hackney said. “But when they’re children, and especially when they have these portals to the world and idiotic things like this that tempt them, you’ve got to be on top of them.”

According to the sheriff’s office, this trend is not only very dangerous, but it can also distract investigators from rescuing victims.

The sheriff’s office said if parents or guardians need assistance or have information about child exploitation, they can contact the SJSO non-emergency line at 904-824-8304, email [email protected] or call Crime Stoppers at 1-888-277-TIPS.

Click here for more information from Homeland Security Investigations.

Click here for advice and tips from the FBI on how to protect children from online dangers.