COVID PROTOCOLS FROM DISTRICTS
ALL ACROSS THE HOUSTON AREA. >> PEOPLE ON THE INTERNET
>> PEOPLE ON THE INTERNET
PRETENDING TO BE SOMEONE ELSE.
>> AS I UNDERSTAND, JOSE HAS
BEEN ROSA.
>> THAT’S NOTHING NEW. >> BUT THERE IS SOMETHING
>> BUT THERE IS SOMETHING
HAPPENING MORE OFTEN, A
DISTURBING TREND INVOLVING
FAKE PROFILING AND HAVING
DEADLY CONSEQUENCES.
>> THE LANGUAGE AND THE FORCE
BEHIND THE THREATS KEPT
ESCALATING.
>> THE FAKE PROFILES WITH
CRIMINALS ON THE KEYBOARDS
TRYING TO GET YOU TO SEND
INTIMATE PHOTOS AND VIDEOS OF
YOURSELF AND THREATENING TO
SEND THE IMAGES TO EVERYONE
YOU KNOW UNLESS YOU PAY UP.
>> THESE CRIMINALS ARE NOT
JUST TARGETING ADULTS.
A TEENAGER KILLED HIMSELF
AFTER FALLING VICTIM TO ONE OF
THESE LOW-LIFES.
>> AND WE WILL ADMIT, THIS
NEXT STORY IS REALLY TOUGH.
>> BUT TONIGHT, THE PARENTS OF
THAT BOY WANT TO YOU KNOW HOW
QUICKLY THIS KIND OF THING CAN
HAPPEN, AND THE CONVERSATION
THAT YOU SHOULD BE HAVING WITH YOUR CHILDREN.
YOUR CHILDREN.
>> JOEL EISENBAUM WITH
TONIGHT’S INVESTIGATION.
♪ HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU ♪
REPORTER: HE WAS ON TRACK.
I MEAN IT.
EVEN WHEN HE WAS LITTLE, EVAN
McDANIEL WAS ENGAGED, AND
LOVING AND PRODUCTIVE. >> HE WAS JUST A HAPPY KID.
>> HE WAS JUST A HAPPY KID.
>> Reporter: AND AT 14, NOW A
YOUNG MAN, EVAN WAS DOING WELL
IN SCHOOL.
HIS PARENTS SAW NO SIGNS OF TROUBLE.
>> NOT JUST HOW OUT OF THE
REALM OF POSSIBILITY IT WAS
THAT HE DID THIS.
>> Reporter: WHAT EVAN DID IS
WHAT TEENS DO.
HE MADE A CONNECTION ONLINE.
SOMEONE HE THOUGHT WAS A
PRETTY GIRL INTERESTED IN HIM.
SOMEONE WHO HAD SINCE
VAPORIZED.
GOING BACK WHEN YOU SEE THE INITIAL CONTACT HE HAD WITH
INITIAL CONTACT HE HAD WITH
WHOEVER THIS PERSON IS, THAT
WAS JUST 72 HOURS BEFORE HIS
DEATH?
>> THAT WAS ON JANUARY 3, AND
HE DIED JANUARY 6. >> Reporter: EVAN MADE CONTACT
>> Reporter: EVAN MADE CONTACT
IT SEEMS NOT WITH A TEENAGE
GIRL AT ALL, BUT A CRIMINAL
ENTERPRISE, THAT THE HARRIS
COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE LATER
DETERMINED TO BE BASED IN THE
PHILIPPINES.
>> THE FBI RECENTLY SAID THEY
ESTIMATE 500,000 PREDATORS
ONLINE EVERY SINGLE DAY.
OF THE 500,000 PREDATORS, EACH
CAN HAVE MULTIPLE ACCOUNTS AND
TARGETING OUR CHILDREN.
>> Reporter: IN THIS CASE, IT
APPEARS THE END GAME WAS
MONEY, EXTORTION. HIS PARENTS SAY IT STARTED
HIS PARENTS SAY IT STARTED
WHEN EVAN VISITED A WEBSITE
CALLED OMIGAL.
A WAY TO MEET STRANGERS AND
INCLUDES VIDEO CHAT.
WHOEVER WAS ON THE OTHER END
OF THE LINE WITH EVAN, APPEARS
TO HAVE RECORDED COMPROMISING
VIDEO OF HIM, AND WHEN HE
DIDN’T PAY AND STOPPED
RESPONDING, THEY SENT A SCREEN
GRAB TO HIS SISTER AND COUSIN.
>> THE LANGUAGE AND THE FORCE
BEHIND THE THREATS KEPT
ESCALATING BUT HE WAS IN BED, HE WASN’T ALLOWED HIS PHONE.
HE WASN’T ALLOWED HIS PHONE.
>> Reporter: EVAN’S PARENTS
PHYSICALLY TOOK THE PHONE FROM
HIM EVERY NIGHT.
THE NEXT DAY, JANUARY 6, HE
GOT IT BACK, AND THE MESSAGES
WERE WAITING FOR HIM.
>> YOUR FAMILY, THEY’RE
RUINED, YOUR LIFE IS RUINED. THIS VIDEO IS GOING TO GO
THIS VIDEO IS GOING TO GO
VIRAL, AND YOU MIGHT AS WELL
KILL YOURSELF BECAUSE YOUR
LIFE IS OVER.
>> Reporter: WITHIN A HALF
HOUR OF READING THOSE
MESSAGES, EVAN DID EXACTLY
THAT.
A 14-YEAR-OLD BOY WHO ENDED
HIS OWN LIFE NEVER KNOWING WHO
WAS THREATENING HIM.
>> IT’S HARD.
>> Reporter: THESE ARE PARENTS
WHO TOOK PRECAUTIONS,
COLLECTED DEVICES, AND CHECKED
THEM OFTEN.
BUT DON’T STOP THERE, SAYS
CRIMESTOPPERS OF HOUSTON’S
CEO.
YOU’VE GOT TO MAKE SURE TO
HAVE THIS CONVERSATION.
>> YOU’RE GOING TO MEET PEOPLE
YOU’VE NEVER SEEN IN REAL LIFE
WHO TELL YOU THEY’RE YOUR AGE,
THEY’RE IN YOUR SCHOOL AND
WANT TO BE FRIENDS WITH YOU.
NINE TIMES OUT OF TEN, THAT’S
NOT REAL.
>> Reporter: AND ONE OTHER
TALKING POINT, THE McDANIELS
REPLAY IT IN THEIR HEADS.
>> WE NEVER TOLD HIM, IF YOU
DO MESS UP AND SOMETHING
HAPPENS, COME TO US.
>> Reporter: THAT’S AN
IMPORTANT ONE.
REMIND YOURS KIDS THERE’S NO
PROBLEM TOO BIG YOU CAN’T WORK
OUT TOGETHER.
DO IT BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE.
THERE’S LITTLE HOPE OF FINDING THE CRIMINALS HERE, THEY’RE
THE CRIMINALS HERE, THEY’RE
MOST LIKELY ON FOREIGN SOIL.
FOR PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS
ON
CLICK2HOUSTON.COM/INVESTIGATES
, WE’VE GOT MORE IDEAS WHAT
YOU CAN DO SHORT OF CUTTING
OFF YOUR KIDS COMPLETELY FROM