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A 15-year-old Long Island boy who vanished after telling his household he was assembly somebody from the web sport Roblox was discovered useless in Brooklyn waters two months later, police mentioned.
Thomas Medlin, of St. James, New York, was recovered from waters off Crimson Hook in Brooklyn on March 7, the Suffolk County Police Division introduced. Officers confirmed his identification Thursday.
Medlin left the Stony Brook Faculty on Jan. 9 round 3:30 p.m. and ran to the Stony Brook practice station, authorities mentioned. He was final seen at Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan round 5:30 p.m. later that day.
After his disappearance, Medlin’s household mentioned their son had gone to New York Metropolis to satisfy somebody he met by means of the web sport Roblox.
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Thomas Medlin, 15, was recognized on March 12 after his physique was recovered from waters off Crimson Hook in Brooklyn, greater than two months after he vanished. (Suffolk County Police Division)
A Roblox spokesperson beforehand instructed Fox Information Digital the platform is “built with safety at its core” and presents parental controls that permit dad and mom to disable the in-game chat perform.
“We’re deeply troubled by this incident and are working with regulation enforcement to assist their investigation,” the spokesperson mentioned. “Roblox is constructed with security at its core, together with strong insurance policies to assist defend customers that transcend many different platforms. Now we have filters designed to dam the sharing of private data and don’t permit user-to-user picture or video sharing.”
The corporate added that “whereas no system is ideal, our dedication to security by no means ends, and we proceed to evolve and strengthen our protections on daily basis.”
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On this surveillance picture, Thomas Medlin is seen strolling in Grand Central Station in New York Metropolis round 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 9, police mentioned. (Suffolk County Police Division)
After reviewing Medlin’s social media and on-line gaming profiles, police decided the platforms had been “not linked” to the teenager’s disappearance.
Police added there’s “no indication of felony exercise.”
Investigators decided by means of video and digital proof that Medlin’s final recognized location was on the pedestrian walkway of the Manhattan Bridge on Jan. 9 at 7:06 p.m., and his cellphone was final energetic at 7:09 p.m.
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Suffolk County Police confirmed on March 12 that Thomas Medlin’s physique was recovered in Brooklyn weeks after he went lacking. (Suffolk County Police Division)
A splash was captured on surveillance video within the water beneath at 7:10 p.m., in line with investigators. Authorities mentioned Medlin was by no means seen strolling off the bridge.
The investigation stays ongoing.
Fox Information Digital’s Stephen Sorace contributed to this report.
