Long Island Teen Missing for Two Weeks After Traveling to NYC, Family Fears Online Connection

A desperate search is underway for a 15-year-old Long Island boy who has been missing for two weeks after traveling alone into New York City — a journey his family believes was prompted by an online connection made through the popular gaming platform Roblox.

Thomas Medlin, a student from St. James in Suffolk County, disappeared on Friday, Jan. 9, after leaving school and boarding a train to Manhattan, allegedly to meet a Roblox connection. According to the Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD), Thomas left Stony Brook School around 3:30 p.m., ran to the Stony Brook Long Island Rail Road station, and appeared to catch a train headed into the city.

Last Seen in Manhattan and Brooklyn

Police say Thomas Medlin was last seen at Grand Central Station at approximately 5:30 p.m. that same day. Surveillance images later placed him around Cherry and Rutgers Streets in Lower Manhattan, and subsequently near Sands and Jay Streets in Brooklyn, according to local reports citing the teen’s family.

A photo released by police shows Thomas Medline carrying a backpack and holding a large object while walking on what appears to be a New York City subway platform. He is described as 5 feet 4 inches tall, weighing about 130 pounds, and was last seen wearing a black jacket with red stripes, dark sweatpants with white stripes, glasses, and a black backpack.

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Family Believes Roblox Contact Played a Role

In an emotional interview with News 12, Thomas’ mother, Eva Yan, said she believes her son Thomas Medline  traveled to the city to meet someone he had become acquainted with on Roblox, a massively popular online gaming platform used by millions of young people worldwide.

“He has never left us,” Yan said through tears, adding that her son’s disappearance is completely out of character. Thomas’ father, James Medlin, echoed the concern, saying, “I just can’t believe why he left in the first place.”

Roblox acknowledged the situation in a statement to PEOPLE, saying the company is “deeply troubled” by the incident and is cooperating with law enforcement. The platform emphasized its safety features, including filters that block the sharing of personal information and restrictions on user-to-user image or video sharing.

Search Intensifies as Extreme Weather Looms

With Thomas missing for more than two weeks, his family has organized daily search parties across Long Island, Manhattan, and Brooklyn, checking homeless shelters and other locations where he might seek refuge. Their concern has grown as extreme winter weather is forecast to hit New York in the coming days.

“We’re checking everywhere,” Yan said. “We just want him to be safe.”

As of Saturday, Jan. 24, Suffolk County police had not released any new updates on the case. Authorities are urging anyone with information about Thomas Medlin’s whereabouts to contact Fourth Squad Detectives at 631-854-8452 or call 911 immediately.