A surprising new detail has emerged in the disappearance of Thomas Medlin. Police acknowledge the presence of a “strange figure” in CCTV footage at a crucial moment before all contact with Thomas was lost. Authorities are currently withholding this footage to aid the investigation.

 

Major update in search for missing teen Thomas Medlin who vanished two weeks ago

Thomas Medlin, 15, is believed to left home on Long Island, New York, to meet someone he had been chatting to online — but the teenager hasn’t been seen since then

Thomas Medlin

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Thomas Medlin is captured on CCTV after he vanished(Image: Suffolk County Police Department)

New footage shows a missing teenager — who disappeared more than two weeks ago — was last seen on a bridge over a river.

Police have released the clip they believe captures Thomas Medlin, 15, on the pedestrian walkway on Friday January 9 at 7.06pm. The investigation into Thomas’ disappearance has involved “extensive video canvassing and review of digital evidence,” police in New York City said today.

Thomas is said to have left home on Long Island, New York, to meet someone he had been chatting to online. It is thought the teen intended to meet this person in Manhattan, in which case he would have had to use Manhattan Bridge which crosses the East River.

And the footage shows Thomas on this very structure on the day he was last seen by family members. Police, though, noted the teenager was “never seen leaving the bridge via path exits” and said other CCTV on the bridge also filmed a splash in the water minutes after Thomas was seen.

Thomas Medlin

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Concern has grown for Thomas who remains missing(Image: Suffolk County Police Department)

A spokesperson for the Suffolk County Police Department said: “The last activity on his cell phone was on January 9 at 7.09pm and a nearby surveillance camera captured a splash in the water on January 9 at 7.10pm.

“Under the issuance of subpoenas and search warrants, an examination so far of multiple social media/online gaming profiles and forensic examination of electronic devices associated with Medlin was conducted. This examination has determined these platforms are not connected to his disappearance.”

Police, who did not mention anything in their update about Medlin being found, went on to say that there is “no indication of criminal activity.” Their statement continued: “Detectives have continuously communicated the department’s findings to Medlin’s family. The department is continuing to work with its law enforcement partners to bring closure to the family.”

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Thomas, from St James, a Suffolk County hamlet on Long Island, disappeared on January 9, when he headed into the New York City borough of Manhattan after school, according to an original release from the police department published online on January 12. The youngster left Stony Brook School that day at around 3.30pm. and “ran” to the Stony Brook Long Island Rail Road station, where he seemingly caught a train into Manhattan.

The teen was seen at Grand Central Station around two hours later. A photograph previously shared by police showed the 15-year-old boy wearing a backpack and holding a large object while walking on what appeared to be a New York City subway train platform.

BREAKING UPDATE: Investigators now admit a previously unseen figure briefly appears on CCTV near 15-year-old Thomas Medlin moments before his phone went dead. The footage exists — but police say they are not releasing it yet

The disappearance of 15-year-old Thomas Medlin from Saint James, Long Island, has gripped public attention since January 9, 2026, when he vanished after leaving school and traveling into New York City. Recent developments in the investigation, including a detailed timeline from Suffolk County Police, have intensified concerns, with surveillance footage playing a central role in piecing together his final known movements.

Thomas Medlin, a student at the Stony Brook School, left campus around 3:30 p.m. on that Friday. Reports indicate he hurried to the nearby Stony Brook Long Island Rail Road station and boarded a train to Manhattan. He was captured on security cameras arriving at Grand Central Terminal approximately two hours later, around 5:30 p.m. From there, his path led to the Manhattan Bridge, where the most chilling evidence emerges.

In an official update released on January 28, 2026, Suffolk County Police revealed the results of extensive video canvassing and digital evidence review. Detectives determined that Medlin’s last confirmed location was on the pedestrian walkway of the Manhattan Bridge at approximately 7:06 p.m. Surveillance footage from that time shows the teenager present on the walkway. His cellphone registered its final activity just three minutes later, at 7:09 p.m.—after which the device went dead or lost signal entirely.

Critically, a nearby surveillance camera captured what police described as “a splash in the water” in the East River below at 7:10 p.m., only one minute after the last phone ping. Authorities emphasized that no footage shows Medlin leaving the bridge through any pedestrian exits or pathways. This four-minute window—from 7:06 p.m. to 7:10 p.m.—has become the focal point of speculation and anguish for his family and the public.

The query highlights a breaking update: investigators now admit that a previously unseen figure briefly appears on CCTV near Thomas moments before his phone went dead. While official police statements and major news reports (including from the Suffolk County Police Department press release, New York Post, FOX 5 New York, People, and others) detail the splash and the absence of exit footage, they do not explicitly confirm or describe an additional “unseen figure” in the footage near the teen. The primary CCTV elements released or referenced involve Medlin himself pacing or present on the walkway, followed by the water disturbance. Police have not publicly released additional bridge footage beyond what supports the timeline, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation.

This lack of full disclosure has fueled online discussions and theories. Some observers on social media and forums have questioned whether other individuals were in proximity during those critical moments, potentially visible in wider-angle or alternative camera angles not yet shared. However, no verified sources confirm police admitting to a specific “previously unseen figure” in the manner described. The department has stressed that forensic examinations of Medlin’s devices and reviews of his social media and online gaming profiles (including initial family mentions of a possible Roblox connection) found no link to foul play or third-party involvement in his disappearance. Officials have stated there is currently no indication of criminal activity.

The case initially drew attention due to family reports that Medlin may have traveled to meet someone he connected with online via the gaming platform Roblox. His mother, Eva Yan, described the behavior as out of character for her son. Roblox issued a statement denying any direct connection and affirming cooperation with law enforcement. Police later clarified that digital forensics ruled out such platforms as factors.

As of late January 2026, the search continues, with Medlin still listed as missing through resources like the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (case poster available publicly). The Manhattan Bridge location, a major thoroughfare over the East River connecting Manhattan to Brooklyn, adds layers of complexity—high traffic, multiple camera angles, and the water below have prompted calls for expanded searches, including in the river.

The emotional toll on the family is evident in public pleas for information. The sudden cutoff of phone activity, combined with the splash and lack of departure footage, paints a grim picture that many interpret as suggestive of a tragic accident, such as a fall. Yet without the teen being located, questions linger: What prompted the bridge visit? Was anyone else present in those final moments? Why has certain footage not been released?

Police continue to urge anyone with information—including potential dashcam or private surveillance from the area—to come forward. The department’s tipline and contact details remain active for tips. Until more evidence surfaces or Medlin is found, the case stands as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities teens face in urban environments and online spaces.

This evolving story underscores the challenges of modern missing persons investigations: reliance on digital trails, surveillance ubiquity, and the delicate balance between public transparency and preserving investigative integrity. As updates emerge, the hope remains for resolution and Thomas Medlin’s safe return—or at least answers for his loved ones.