Authorities in New York are continuing their search for a Long Island teenager who vanished after leaving school earlier this month, with his family now saying they believe his trip into the city may have been connected to someone he met through Roblox.
According to People, Thomas Medlin, 15, has not been seen since Friday, January 9. Police say the Stony Brook School student left campus that afternoon and headed toward the nearby Long Island Rail Road station instead of going home. Investigators believe he boarded a train to Manhattan shortly after school dismissal.
Later that evening, Thomas was spotted inside Grand Central Terminal around 5:30 p.m., according to Suffolk County Police. Images released by authorities show him wearing a backpack and carrying a large item as he walks through what appears to be a transit area.
That sighting remains the last confirmed location tied directly to the teen.
Since then, Thomas’ movements have been pieced together through tips and investigative work. Police traced activity linked to him near Cherry and Rutgers streets on the Lower East Side, with later indicators pointing to the Sands and Jay Street area in Brooklyn.
Despite those leads, his family says there has been no direct contact from Thomas since the day he left school.
Police describe Thomas as 5-foot-4 and approximately 130 pounds. At the time he went missing, he was wearing a black jacket with red accents, dark sweatpants with white striping, glasses, and a black backpack.
Thomas’ mother, Eva Yan, said his actions don’t align with his normal behavior and suggested he may have traveled to the city to meet someone he connected with through Roblox.
“He has never left us,” she said, becoming emotional as she spoke about the ongoing search.
Thomas’ father, James Medlin, also expressed confusion over the situation, saying, “I just can’t believe why he left in the first place.”
Roblox addressed the case in a statement, saying the company is cooperating with law enforcement. “We are deeply troubled by this incident and are working with law enforcement to support their investigation,” a spokesperson said.
The company also pointed to built-in safety tools designed to limit the sharing of personal information, adding that it could not discuss specifics due to the active investigation.
Meanwhile, Thomas’ family has been searching daily across Long Island and New York City, visiting shelters and public areas while coordinating the search. With extreme winter weather expected to hit the region, concerns about his well-being have grown.
“Everyone loves him,” Yan said. “We just want him to be safe.”
Anyone with information about Thomas Medlin’s whereabouts is urged to contact Suffolk County Police Fourth Squad Detectives at 631-854-8452 or call 911.