Long Island Teen Vanishes After Traveling to NYC to Meet Roblox Contact

Mother pleads for 15-year-old son to return home, promises he's "not in trouble"

Jan. 27, 2026 at 1:39pm

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Thomas Medlin, a 15-year-old from Long Island, New York, disappeared after leaving his prestigious boarding school and traveling to New York City, apparently to meet someone he had connected with through the online game Roblox. His distraught mother, Eva Yan, is now begging her son to come home, assuring him that he is not in trouble.

Why it matters

This case highlights the risks that can arise when teenagers connect with strangers online and make plans to meet in person, especially without their parents' knowledge. It also raises questions about the safety measures and parental controls available on popular gaming platforms like Roblox.

The details

Medlin left the Stony Brook School, a private college prep school, on January 9th and was caught on surveillance camera arriving at Grand Central Terminal in New York City. Police believe he had arranged to meet someone he had connected with through the Roblox online game. Medlin's mother, Eva Yan, says she had parental controls in place on his Roblox account, but he may have created a separate account she was unaware of. Yan is now pleading for her son to return home, promising he will not be in trouble.

  • On January 9th, Medlin left his school on Long Island and traveled to New York City.
  • Medlin was spotted on surveillance camera arriving at Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan on January 9th.

The players

Thomas Medlin

A 15-year-old boy from Long Island, New York who disappeared after traveling to New York City, apparently to meet someone he had connected with through the online game Roblox.

Eva Yan

The distraught mother of Thomas Medlin, who is pleading for her son to return home and assuring him that he is not in trouble.

Roblox

A popular online game platform where Medlin reportedly connected with the person he traveled to New York City to meet.

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What they’re saying

“We love him so much. We want him to even send us a message.Whoever person he's staying with, have a kind heart and let us parents know … he's safe, nobody's going to harm him.”

— Eva Yan, Mother of Thomas Medlin (Fox & Friends)

“Whenever he's ready to come home, let us know where to pick him up. And he's not in trouble at all. We love him more than anything in [our lives].”

— Eva Yan, Mother of Thomas Medlin (Fox & Friends)

What’s next

Police are continuing to investigate Medlin's disappearance and are working with Roblox to gather more information. The family hopes that by publicly pleading for Medlin to return home, he will be encouraged to reach out to them.

The takeaway

This case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of open communication between parents and children about online safety, as well as the need for gaming platforms to have robust parental controls and safety measures in place to protect young users.