Thomas Medlin wa slast seen on the Manhattan Bridge pedestrian walkway on Friday, Jan. 9. — Suffolk County Police Department/Wikimedia Commons user Kidfly182
A Long Island teenager who vanished after traveling to New York City was last seen on the pedestrian walkway of the Manhattan Bridge, where surveillance footage later captured a splash in the water, police said.
Detectives have determined that Thomas Medlin, 15, of Saint James, was last known to be on the Manhattan Bridge on Friday, Jan. 9, at about 7:06 p.m, Suffolk County Police revealed in an update Wednesday, Jan. 28.
Medlin’s cell phone last showed activity at approximately 7:09 p.m., police said. One minute later, at 7:10 p.m., a nearby surveillance camera captured a splash in the water. Detectives said Medlin was never seen leaving the bridge via pedestrian exits.
The findings were made following extensive video canvassing and a review of digital evidence, police added.
As part of the investigation, detectives executed subpoenas and search warrants and conducted forensic examinations of Medlin’s electronic devices, as well as reviews of multiple social media and online gaming profiles, police said.
Medlin’s mother, Eva Yan, previously told News 12 she believed her son went to the city to meet someone he had communicated with through the online gaming platform Roblox. Investigators determined the platform was not connected to Medlin’s disappearance, police said.
“There is no indication of criminal activity,” Suffolk police said, adding that detectives have remained in continuous communication with Medlin’s family and are working with law enforcement partners to bring closure.
Medlin was first reported missing after leaving the Stony Brook School at about 3:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 9, and running to the Stony Brook Train Station, as Daily Voice reported. He was later seen at Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan at approximately 5:30 p.m.
Earlier in the investigation, police traced Medlin’s movements to areas near Cherry and Rutgers streets in Lower Manhattan and later to Sands and Jay streets in Brooklyn.