Thomas Medlin death: Was there a Roblox link in Long Island teen's disappearance? What we know after body found

Two months after Thomas Medlin, 15, went missing after heading into Manhattan from his New York home, he was found dead in Brooklyn waters, police said.

Published on: Mar 22, 2026, 13:52:10 IST

By Sumanti Sen

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Two months after Long Island boy Thomas Medlin, 15, went missing from his New York home, he was found dead in Brooklyn waters, police said. Medlin of St. James, a hamlet in Suffolk County, disappeared after he headed into Manhattan from his home in Long Island, New York, on January 9.

Thomas Medlin death: Was there a Roblox link in Long Island teen's disappearance? What we know after body found (Suffolk County Police Department)

Medlin’s mother initially said that the teen left to meet someone he met online through Roblox, an online gaming platform, according to People.

Days after Medlin went missing, Suffolk County police shared a concerning update, saying he was caught on surveillance video pacing the Manhattan Bridge, but moments later, the cameras recorded an ominous splash in the East River. Cops noted in the January 18 update that the footage does not show the teen leaving the bridge.

Medlin’s body was recovered from waters off Red Hook in Brooklyn on March 7, the Suffolk County Police Department announced.

National Center for Missing & Exploited Children also announced the tragic news in a Facebook post, which read, “We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of 15-year-old Thomas Medlin, who had been missing since Jan. 9, 2026. Thank you to everyone who shared his poster and story. Our thoughts are with Thomas’ family, the Stony Brook, New York, community, and all who are grieving.”

Was there a Roblox link in Thomas Medlin’s disappearance and death?

Police reviewed Medlin’s social media and online gaming profiles and determined that the platforms were "not connected" to the teen’s disappearance. Cops ruled out any connection between Roblox and Medlin’s disappearance. They also stated that there is "no indication of criminal activity."

A Roblox spokesperson previously told Fox News Digital the platform is "built with safety at its core.” They added that it offers parental controls that allow parents to disable the in-game chat function.

"We are deeply troubled by this incident and are working with law enforcement to support their investigation," the spokesperson said. "Roblox is built with safety at its core, including robust policies to help protect users that go beyond many other platforms. We have filters designed to block the sharing of personal information and don’t allow user-to-user image or video sharing."

The company further said that "while no system is perfect, our commitment to safety never ends, and we continue to evolve and strengthen our protections every day."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sumanti Sen
Sumanti Sen covers everything that’s happening in the US, from politics to entertainment, but her expertise lies in covering crime news. She has comprehensively chronicled the Idaho student murders, the Laken Riley and Iryna Zarutska cases, and the killing of Charlie Kirk, among other incidents. Over the years, she has interviewed several victims/families of victims of crimes seeking justice. She digs up stories that might otherwise remain unheard, and does her bit to ensure that victims and survivors’ voices are heard. Sumanti’s many years of experience also include interviews with Hamas attack survivors and mental health experts, among others. Her coverage of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and interviews with survivors of the tragedy, coupled with her other works including the Titan submersible coverage, earned her the Digi Journo of the Quarter award during her first year at Hindustan Times. Sumanti actively tracks missing person cases in the United States, and peruses Reddit and other social media platforms to bring to light cases that frequently elude public attention. She has extensively covered the disappearances of Nancy Guthrie, Thomas Medlin, Beau Mann, and Sudiksha Konanki, among others. When not at work, you will either find her with her novels, or with her beloved rescue pooches.Read More

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