Carroll County man charged with molesting teen he met on TikTok
CARROLL COUNTY, Ga. - A 25-year-old man is behind bars after cops say he allegedly raped a girl in Carrollton he met on TikTok.
In warrants obtained by FOX 5, investigators accuse 25-year-old Dillion Michael Vestal of aggravated child molestation.
The Times-Georgian first reported that investigators believe the suspect gave the 14-year-old drugs and alcohol on several occasions.
Cyber safety specialists have said parents need to be on top of their kids’ social media accounts.
"First of all, parents can know that this absolutely can happen to your child," Titania Jordan, Bark Technologies' chief parent officer said.
"The amount of predators that are online at any given time, there's over half a million of them, and they have direct access to your children in the places your children are spending time, whether that's Roblox or Instagram or Snapchat or TikTok. You name it, they're there," Jordan explained.
Carrollton investigators said the girl snuck the suspect into her room at least three times.
The teen told her mom he coerced her into unprotected sex.
When the girl reportedly told the suspect she was going to tell her mom, investigators said he threatened to kill himself.
Social media experts say manipulation is a powerful tactic against young people.
Police took Vestal into custody on Nov. 8. A judge denied him bond.