Topline: RCMP say there’s no evidence of abduction, while loved ones cling to hope and the province offers a $150,000 reward.
Published: June 24, 2025 7:00 am ET
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Lilly Sullivan, left, and her brother Jack Sullivan. (via MissingPeople.ca)
PICTOU COUNTY, N.S. — The disappearance of siblings Jack and Lilly Sullivan has left a rural Nova Scotia community devastated, a family shattered, and a province grappling with difficult questions.
Six-year-old Lilly and her four-year-old brother Jack were reported missing on May 2 from their home in Lansdowne, N.S., sparking what would become one of the largest ground searches in provincial history.
Their mother, Malehya Brooks-Murray, told police the children wandered off while she and her then-partner, Daniel Martell, were sleeping. Earlier that same morning, around 6:15 a.m., she had reportedly notified the school that both children would be absent—Lilly had a cough and Jack was staying home as a precaution, according to Martell in an interview with The Globe and Mail.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) quickly escalated the case, bringing in their major crimes unit on Day 2. Since then, search teams have scoured dense forest, wells, mine shafts, septic systems, and nearby lakes. Drones and helicopters buzzed overhead while ground crews marked cleared areas with orange and pink ribbons. Despite the massive effort, no trace of the children has been found.
“It is really, really thick,” said family friend Gray in an interview with CBC News. “I started to feel that I can’t see them being in the woods.… There’s trees everywhere.”
Martell, who still lives in the home from which the children disappeared, agrees the area has been extensively searched. He told CBC that a drone was even sent through a hatch beneath his house. “My life has been ripped apart in a thousand pieces,” he said. “And six weeks after, the pieces are still laying on the floor.”
In the weeks following the disappearance, RCMP seized electronic devices, conducted polygraph tests, reviewed surveillance footage, and questioned individuals close to the family. Gray said police questioned her and her son multiple times.
“I didn’t mind.… I wish they would have done it sooner,” she said. “My son was a little upset about it. He said they made him feel like he did something wrong.” Police later told her “they weren’t looking his way anymore.”
The RCMP maintain that no evidence of abduction has been found, but say every missing persons case is considered suspicious until proven otherwise.
“Investigations like this take a long time,” RCMP Cpl. Guillaume Tremblay told CBC. “It’s quite rare for two children to go missing at the same time.”
The tragedy has also drawn attention to Nova Scotia’s child protection system. According to The Globe and Mail, the provincial child protection agency had investigated the family prior to the children’s disappearance. Scott Armstrong, the minister responsible for child welfare, confirmed the agency had a file on the family, but declined to discuss details.
“We have no idea where those kids are and we should be focused on helping them and finding them and supporting this family,” Armstrong said.
Martell told The Globe a social worker visited their home months earlier after concerns from the children’s school about developmental delays. Brooks-Murray has declined to comment on the agency’s involvement.
Nova Scotia remains one of only two provinces without an independent Child and Youth Advocate. Legislation to create such an office was introduced over a year ago but has stalled. Armstrong says he remains committed to its creation and to easing the burden on front-line child welfare workers.
The children’s mother left the Lansdowne home the day after they disappeared, cut contact with Martell, and later changed her Facebook status to single, The Globe reported. Her relatives say police have advised her not to speak publicly.
Last week, the province announced a $150,000 reward for information leading to Jack and Lilly.
Gray, who described Lilly as “our little princess” and Jack as a serious, thoughtful child, now speaks of them in the past tense. “My heart tells me these babies are gone,” she said through tears.
And yet, the search continues—for answers, for justice, and for two missing children who have become everyone’s.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
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Authorities ‘Have No Idea’ Where Jack & Lilly Sullivan Are as Search Enters 7th Week
RCMP say there’s no evidence of abduction, while loved ones cling to hope and the province offers a $150,000 reward.
By Jacob Charles
Published: June 24, 2025 7:00 am ET
Lilly Sullivan, left, and her brother Jack Sullivan. (via MissingPeople.ca)
PICTOU COUNTY, N.S. — The disappearance of siblings Jack and Lilly Sullivan has left a rural Nova Scotia community devastated, a family shattered, and a province grappling with difficult questions.
Six-year-old Lilly and her four-year-old brother Jack were reported missing on May 2 from their home in Lansdowne, N.S., sparking what would become one of the largest ground searches in provincial history.
Their mother, Malehya Brooks-Murray, told police the children wandered off while she and her then-partner, Daniel Martell, were sleeping. Earlier that same morning, around 6:15 a.m., she had reportedly notified the school that both children would be absent—Lilly had a cough and Jack was staying home as a precaution, according to Martell in an interview with The Globe and Mail.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) quickly escalated the case, bringing in their major crimes unit on Day 2. Since then, search teams have scoured dense forest, wells, mine shafts, septic systems, and nearby lakes. Drones and helicopters buzzed overhead while ground crews marked cleared areas with orange and pink ribbons. Despite the massive effort, no trace of the children has been found.
“It is really, really thick,” said family friend Gray in an interview with CBC News. “I started to feel that I can’t see them being in the woods.… There’s trees everywhere.”
Martell, who still lives in the home from which the children disappeared, agrees the area has been extensively searched. He told CBC that a drone was even sent through a hatch beneath his house. “My life has been ripped apart in a thousand pieces,” he said. “And six weeks after, the pieces are still laying on the floor.”
In the weeks following the disappearance, RCMP seized electronic devices, conducted polygraph tests, reviewed surveillance footage, and questioned individuals close to the family. Gray said police questioned her and her son multiple times.
“I didn’t mind.… I wish they would have done it sooner,” she said. “My son was a little upset about it. He said they made him feel like he did something wrong.” Police later told her “they weren’t looking his way anymore.”
The RCMP maintain that no evidence of abduction has been found, but say every missing persons case is considered suspicious until proven otherwise.
“Investigations like this take a long time,” RCMP Cpl. Guillaume Tremblay told CBC. “It’s quite rare for two children to go missing at the same time.”
The tragedy has also drawn attention to Nova Scotia’s child protection system. According to The Globe and Mail, the provincial child protection agency had investigated the family prior to the children’s disappearance. Scott Armstrong, the minister responsible for child welfare, confirmed the agency had a file on the family, but declined to discuss details.
“We have no idea where those kids are and we should be focused on helping them and finding them and supporting this family,” Armstrong said.
Martell told The Globe a social worker visited their home months earlier after concerns from the children’s school about developmental delays. Brooks-Murray has declined to comment on the agency’s involvement.
Nova Scotia remains one of only two provinces without an independent Child and Youth Advocate. Legislation to create such an office was introduced over a year ago but has stalled. Armstrong says he remains committed to its creation and to easing the burden on front-line child welfare workers.
The children’s mother left the Lansdowne home the day after they disappeared, cut contact with Martell, and later changed her Facebook status to single, The Globe reported. Her relatives say police have advised her not to speak publicly.
Last week, the province announced a $150,000 reward for information leading to Jack and Lilly.
Gray, who described Lilly as “our little princess” and Jack as a serious, thoughtful child, now speaks of them in the past tense. “My heart tells me these babies are gone,” she said through tears.
And yet, the search continues—for answers, for justice, and for two missing children who have become everyone’s.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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Latest Articles
Authorities ‘Have No Idea’ Where Jack & Lilly Sullivan Are as Search Enters 7th Week
RCMP say there’s no evidence of abduction, while loved ones cling to hope and the province offers a $150,000 reward.
By Jacob Charles
Published: June 24, 2025 7:00 am ET
Lilly Sullivan, left, and her brother Jack Sullivan. (via MissingPeople.ca)
PICTOU COUNTY, N.S. — The disappearance of siblings Jack and Lilly Sullivan has left a rural Nova Scotia community devastated, a family shattered, and a province grappling with difficult questions.
Six-year-old Lilly and her four-year-old brother Jack were reported missing on May 2 from their home in Lansdowne, N.S., sparking what would become one of the largest ground searches in provincial history.
Their mother, Malehya Brooks-Murray, told police the children wandered off while she and her then-partner, Daniel Martell, were sleeping. Earlier that same morning, around 6:15 a.m., she had reportedly notified the school that both children would be absent—Lilly had a cough and Jack was staying home as a precaution, according to Martell in an interview with The Globe and Mail.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) quickly escalated the case, bringing in their major crimes unit on Day 2. Since then, search teams have scoured dense forest, wells, mine shafts, septic systems, and nearby lakes. Drones and helicopters buzzed overhead while ground crews marked cleared areas with orange and pink ribbons. Despite the massive effort, no trace of the children has been found.
“It is really, really thick,” said family friend Gray in an interview with CBC News. “I started to feel that I can’t see them being in the woods.… There’s trees everywhere.”
Martell, who still lives in the home from which the children disappeared, agrees the area has been extensively searched. He told CBC that a drone was even sent through a hatch beneath his house. “My life has been ripped apart in a thousand pieces,” he said. “And six weeks after, the pieces are still laying on the floor.”
In the weeks following the disappearance, RCMP seized electronic devices, conducted polygraph tests, reviewed surveillance footage, and questioned individuals close to the family. Gray said police questioned her and her son multiple times.
“I didn’t mind.… I wish they would have done it sooner,” she said. “My son was a little upset about it. He said they made him feel like he did something wrong.” Police later told her “they weren’t looking his way anymore.”
The RCMP maintain that no evidence of abduction has been found, but say every missing persons case is considered suspicious until proven otherwise.
“Investigations like this take a long time,” RCMP Cpl. Guillaume Tremblay told CBC. “It’s quite rare for two children to go missing at the same time.”
The tragedy has also drawn attention to Nova Scotia’s child protection system. According to The Globe and Mail, the provincial child protection agency had investigated the family prior to the children’s disappearance. Scott Armstrong, the minister responsible for child welfare, confirmed the agency had a file on the family, but declined to discuss details.
“We have no idea where those kids are and we should be focused on helping them and finding them and supporting this family,” Armstrong said.
Martell told The Globe a social worker visited their home months earlier after concerns from the children’s school about developmental delays. Brooks-Murray has declined to comment on the agency’s involvement.
Nova Scotia remains one of only two provinces without an independent Child and Youth Advocate. Legislation to create such an office was introduced over a year ago but has stalled. Armstrong says he remains committed to its creation and to easing the burden on front-line child welfare workers.
The children’s mother left the Lansdowne home the day after they disappeared, cut contact with Martell, and later changed her Facebook status to single, The Globe reported. Her relatives say police have advised her not to speak publicly.
Last week, the province announced a $150,000 reward for information leading to Jack and Lilly.
Gray, who described Lilly as “our little princess” and Jack as a serious, thoughtful child, now speaks of them in the past tense. “My heart tells me these babies are gone,” she said through tears.
And yet, the search continues—for answers, for justice, and for two missing children who have become everyone’s.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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