April 17, 2025 – Kern County Sheriff’s Office officials report that on April 13, 2025, at about 10:00 a.m., Kern County 
Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to Cypress Street in Taft regarding a 10-year-old missing juvenile. Family members reported that the juvenile was last seen the night before, April 12, 2025, at home.
During their investigation, deputies received information from friends that indicated the possibility that the missing juvenile was kidnapped. A detective callout was initiated.
Further investigation by detectives revealed the juvenile had been communicating with 27-year-old Matthew Macatuno Naval, via social media, and they were believed to be in the area of Elk Grove, CA. It was suspected that the victim was communicating with Naval through Roblox and Discord, leading to their abduction.
Detectives notified Elk Grove Police for assistance, who located Naval in his car at a strip mall near his residence with the missing juvenile. The juvenile was located and temporarily taken into protective custody until released back to their family. On April 13, 2025, at 3:35 p.m. in the 7100 block of Elk Grove Boulevard in Elk Grove, CA, Naval was arrested and booked for kidnapping and unlawful sexual conduct with a minor child. Naval was booked into Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office Jail with no bail and is awaiting extradition to Kern County.
We would like to thank the communities of Kern and Elk Grove for their assistance in sharing the message to help locate the juvenile. We would like to thank Elk Grove Police Department for their assistance in locating the juvenile and arresting Naval.
Kern County Sheriff’s Office would like to take this time to remind our community of the importance of internet safety. Parents, monitor all electronic usage and know who your children are communicating with. Many apps and games have messaging capabilities and present the same, if not more, risk as social media platforms. Media monitoring apps are great tools for those who may not know where to begin when monitoring electronic usage.
Anyone with additional information about this case is encouraged to contact the Kern County Sheriff's Office at (661) 861-3110. Case 2025-00045231.
Source: Kern County Sheriff’s Office
