Police on Long Island are searching for a 15-year-old boy who left his boarding school campus on Jan. 9, boarded a Long Island Rail Road train and arrived at Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan, where investigators believe he may have gone to meet someone he encountered through the Roblox platform, according to the family.
The case has drawn urgent attention because the teen, identified by police as Thomas Medlin of Saint James, has been missing for two weeks and because detectives are examining whether an online contact played a role in his travel. The Suffolk County Police Department’s Missing Persons Section issued an alert and circulated surveillance images from Grand Central. Family members say recent tips placed him in Lower Manhattan and possibly Brooklyn. As of Saturday, no foul play had been confirmed, but police said the disappearance remains an active investigation.
Investigators said Medlin left the Stony Brook School around 3:30 p.m. on Jan. 9 and ran to the Stony Brook Long Island Rail Road station. He reached Grand Central at about 5:30 p.m. that day. His phone was later tracked to Lower Manhattan near Cherry and Rutgers streets, according to the family. Relatives and friends organized search groups in Manhattan and on Long Island in the days that followed. “We want him to know he is loved and we just want him home,” his mother, Eva Yan, said in a brief statement shared with local media.
Police described Medlin as about 5-foot-4 and roughly 130 pounds with black hair and glasses. He was last seen wearing a black jacket with red stripes, dark sweatpants with white stripes, a black backpack and black sneakers. Detectives have reviewed station and street cameras, gathered ride and transit records and checked areas where he was reportedly seen. The department did not release a possible username or handle linked to any online contact. Officials said tips about sightings are logged and routed to investigators as they come in.
The search comes amid a broader national focus on cases that start with online interactions in youth gaming and chat spaces. Local law enforcement agencies have recently warned families about the risks of off-platform meetups arranged through game chats. In New York City, missing-teen investigations often involve checking social media, transit hubs and neighborhoods connected by chat histories. Police have not said whether Medlin purchased additional transit tickets after arriving in Midtown or whether he used cash, a card or a mobile wallet during his trip.
Since Jan. 10, the family has coordinated with classmates, church groups and neighbors to distribute flyers and canvass subway stations from Grand Central to Chambers Street. Volunteers said they focused on Lower Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn after reported sightings. School officials confirmed Medlin is a student and said they are in contact with investigators. Friends described him as quiet, studious and interested in computers and games. Several students said they helped compile a timeline of his known movements for police, based on messages sent before Jan. 9.
Detectives are continuing to review surveillance video near the Grand Central mezzanine, street-level exits and the subway network, and they are checking camera networks in Lower Manhattan. Police have not disclosed any person of interest and did not say whether they have identified the online acquaintance. If officers verify new locations, they could request additional footage and transit records tied to those times. The family said they expect further updates if new evidence emerges or if a confirmed sighting is documented by video.
Medlin’s case remains open with Suffolk County police coordinating with New York City agencies. The next public milestone would likely be an update from investigators if they authenticate a recent sighting or confirm new travel, or a formal briefing if they identify the online contact. As of Saturday, the case remained a priority missing-person investigation with ongoing canvasses in Manhattan and Long Island.
Author note: Last updated January 24, 2026.