Missing St. James boy last seen on Manhattan Bridge, police say

Suffolk Police released an update Wednesday in the investigation into the disappearance of 15-year-old Thomas Medlin, a St. James resident and Stony Brook School student who was reported missing nearly three weeks ago.

Police said an extensive investigation involving video canvassing and a review of digital evidence determined that Thomas’ last known location was on the pedestrian walkway of the Manhattan Bridge on Friday, Jan. 9, about 7:06 p.m. — about three hours after he was last seen.

Detectives said the final activity on his cell phone occurred at 7:09 p.m., and a nearby surveillance camera recorded a splash in the water at 7:10 p.m. The teen was never observed leaving the bridge via pedestrian exits, authorities said.

Police said subpoenas and search warrants were issued as part of the investigation, allowing for the examination of multiple social media accounts, online gaming profiles and electronic devices associated with Medlin. Investigators determined that none of those platforms, including online gaming activity, were connected to his disappearance.

There is no indication of criminal activity, police said, while noting that detectives have remained in communication with Thomas’ family and continue working with law enforcement partners in an effort to bring closure to them.

Thomas was reported missing Friday, Jan. 9, after leaving the Stony Brook School campus at approximately 3:30 p.m. and running to the Stony Brook Long Island Rail Road station. He was later seen at Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan roughly two hours later, police have said.

In the days following his disappearance, Thomas’ mother made emotional public pleas for her son’s safe return in national media interviews.

Eva Yan told Fox News that her son may have been communicating with someone he met through the online gaming platform Roblox prior to his disappearance and urged anyone with information to come forward.

The worried mom told Fox News that Thomas was not in trouble and that the family simply wanted to know he was safe, describing his actions as completely out of character.

_{Top: Thomas Medline, via SCPD}