Florida Woman accused of convincing 10-year-old child to attempt to kill baby through Roblox game

Tara Alexis Sykes, 36, of Pensacola, Florida, was charged with attempted murder and aggravated child abuse for allegedly convincing a 10-year-old girl to harm a 2-month-old baby through Roblox.

According to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, Sykes used the online game’s chat feature to give the child detailed instructions on how to harm the doll; This included dropping the baby on the kitchen floor, resulting in a fractured skull. The sheriff called it “one of the most disturbing cases” of his career.

Reports indicate that Sykes also gave instructions to harm the girl’s guardians, allegedly instructing her to slit their throats and burn the house down while they slept. Fearing for his safety, the 10-year-old boy initially tried to follow these instructions but eventually avoided it. Authorities were alerted when guards found spray-soaked sheets, a lighter and screenshots of messages Sykes had sent to the girl.

This arrest adds to Sykes’ legal troubles; because she and her husband, James Sykes, had previously been accused of child neglect due to their teenage daughter’s pregnancy and malnutrition. Sykes’ hearing is scheduled for Nov. 8, while her husband is due in court on Nov. 5 in the negligence case. These accusations have raised serious public concern and highlighted the risks children may face on online platforms.