Missing Long Island Teen Found Dead in Brooklyn Waters

Police say no signs of foul play in the death of 15-year-old Thomas Medlin.

Mar. 13, 2026 at 4:20pm

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The body of 15-year-old Thomas Medlin of St. James, New York, was retrieved from the waters off of Red Hook in Brooklyn on Saturday and formally identified on Thursday, according to Suffolk County police. Medlin was last seen on January 9th at Manhattan's Grand Central Terminal, and authorities traced his last movements to the pedestrian walkway of the Manhattan Bridge, where surveillance video recorded a splash in the water below at 7:10 pm. Police say there is no sign of "criminal activity" in Medlin's death, though the investigation is still ongoing.

Why it matters

Medlin's disappearance and death have prompted fresh scrutiny of online gaming safety, as his family had said detectives believed he went into the city to meet someone he had met on the game Roblox. While police say the online platforms were not linked to his disappearance, the case has raised concerns about the potential risks of children meeting strangers through online games.

The details

Authorities say Medlin exited the Stony Brook School on Jan. 9 at about 3:30pm and took off for a nearby train station. He was later spotted at Manhattan's Grand Central Terminal that afternoon. Investigators used surveillance and digital records to trace his last movements to the pedestrian walkway of the Manhattan Bridge at 7:06pm, where his phone activity stopped three minutes later. A splash in the water below was recorded on surveillance video at 7:10pm, and Medlin was never seen leaving the bridge.

  • Medlin was last seen on January 9th at around 3:30pm when he left Stony Brook School.
  • Medlin was spotted at Manhattan's Grand Central Terminal that same afternoon.
  • Medlin's last known movements were traced to the Manhattan Bridge at 7:06pm on January 9th.
  • Surveillance video recorded a splash in the water below the Manhattan Bridge at 7:10pm on January 9th.
  • Medlin's body was retrieved from the waters off of Red Hook in Brooklyn on Saturday, March 13th, 2026.

The players

Thomas Medlin

A 15-year-old boy from St. James, New York who went missing on January 9th and was later found dead in the waters off of Brooklyn.

Suffolk County Police

The police department investigating Medlin's disappearance and death, who say there are no signs of foul play.

Eva Yan

Medlin's mother, who said his behavior of going to meet someone from the game Roblox would have been "completely out of character" for her son.

Roblox

The online gaming platform that Medlin was believed to have gone to the city to meet someone from, though police say the online platforms were not linked to his disappearance.

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What they’re saying

“He has never left us.”

— Eva Yan, Medlin's mother (News 12 Long Island)

“Our beautiful boy is in heaven! We are both so proud to have him as our son.”

— Medlin's parents (Newsday)

“We love him more than anything he could imagine.”

— Eva Yan, Medlin's mother (Newsday)

What’s next

The investigation into Medlin's death is still ongoing, and police say they are continuing to review evidence and surveillance footage to determine the exact circumstances surrounding his disappearance and death.

The takeaway

This tragic case highlights the potential dangers of children meeting strangers online, even through seemingly innocuous platforms like online gaming. It underscores the importance of open communication between parents and children about online safety, as well as the need for gaming companies to prioritize user protection measures.