In an extraordinary display of technological advancement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) recently used a Nintendo Switch to locate a missing 15-year-old.

In a recent case from Virginia, a Nintendo Switch provided authorities with the location of the child who had been taken just days after.

Nintendo Switch proves pivotal in locating a missing 15-year-old girl

Nintendo Switch OLED White product photo
Credit: Nintendo

The portable nature of the Nintendo Switch, coupled with its internet connectivity and GPS capabilities, proved to be the deciding factor in finding the missing child. Court documents obtained by ABC 15 in Arizona shared that the girl had disappeared on August 3, 2022.

Days later, a friend of hers was notified via the device’s settings that the missing girl’s Nintendo Switch account had come online. In a smart and quick move, she notified authorities.

The console’s ability to connect to Wi-Fi networks enabled the FBI to remotely access crucial information and track the child’s location in real time. Authorities were able to pinpoint 28-year-old Ethan Roberts’ apartment as the location from which the device was activated.

Roberts had allowed the child to connect to the Wi-Fi network to “watch YouTube and download a game,” according to the documents.

He was arrested and charged with multiple crimes related to children and unlawful transportation.

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