The search for missing teenager Thomas Medlin has reached a critical and deeply troubling stage after investigators confirmed he was last seen entering a vehicle driven by an unknown individual.

According to newly released Breaking News reports, surveillance cameras positioned near a city bridge captured footage of Thomas approaching a dark-colored sedan shortly before he disappeared. In the still image now circulating publicly, a red arrow highlights the moment the teen appears to walk toward the car — a single action that has dramatically shifted the direction of the investigation.

Authorities say this development transforms the case from a simple missing-person inquiry into a serious criminal investigation involving the possibility of deception and outside involvement.

Investigators are now working urgently to identify the sedan, focusing on tracing its license plate and reconstructing its route through nearby traffic cameras. However, officials admit the vehicle seemed to blend into city traffic and disappeared shortly after crossing the bridge, complicating efforts to follow its path.

“This was not a случай encounter,” a law enforcement source said. “The timing, location, and behavior suggest prior contact.”

Thomas’s mother reinforced that concern, telling reporters the vehicle did not belong to anyone the family recognized.

“That wasn’t a friend’s car. That wasn’t someone we know,” she said. “Whoever that driver was, they were a stranger to us — but maybe not to Thomas.”

The revelation has raised troubling questions about whether Thomas may have been influenced or pressured over time before that night. Investigators are now examining his phone activity, online interactions, and social contacts to determine whether the meeting was arranged in advance.

Thomas’s father spoke emotionally about the possibility that his son may have trusted the wrong person.

“Thomas is kind. He believes people mean well,” he said. “If someone took advantage of that, it breaks my heart. We just want him home.”

The parents emphasized that Thomas was not known to run away and had no history of disappearing without explanation.

As the final known footage of Thomas continues to circulate, public attention has intensified. Viewers have closely analyzed his body language and movements, hoping to identify any clue that might explain what happened next.

Authorities urge the public to focus on verifiable information, particularly sightings of a dark sedan near the bridge around the time Thomas was last seen.

“Someone knows something,” Thomas’s mother said. “Even the smallest detail could bring our son back to us.”

Investigators are now appealing directly to the driver of the vehicle — or anyone who may recognize it — to come forward.

The case remains active, with search efforts expanding across the city Thomas once called home. For his family, every hour without answers is another moment of unbearable uncertainty.

“We just want to hear his voice again,” his father said quietly. “That’s all we’re asking.”

Authorities urge anyone with relevant information to contact local police immediately.