Ground search crews depart N.S. community where children went missing

A day after Nova Scotia RCMP announced it was scaling back the search for two missing children, Lily Sullivan, 6, and Jack Sullivan, 4, the atmosphere at the force’s command centre in rural Pictou County was somber. Ground search crews had packed up and left the area, having spent six days scouring the heavily wooded surroundings of the children’s home on Gairloch Road in Lansdowne Station, roughly 25 kilometres southwest of New Glasgow.

The search efforts, which yielded no sign of the missing children, led to the heartbreaking conclusion that it was unlikely they were still alive. Despite this devastating news, Staff Sgt. Curtis MacKinnon emphasized that the investigation would continue, albeit in a scaled-back capacity. He explained that searches would now be based on incoming information, as opposed to the massive presence of searchers on site each day.

“We’re not packing up and we’re not giving up,” MacKinnon declared. “Our investigation is broad, and it won’t end until we know where Lily and Jack are and can bring them home.”

As the RCMP command centre was dismantled, all that remained were remnants of the once bustling operation – a tattered piece of yellow caution tape, a few portable washrooms, and tire tracks. In a statement, Cpl. Carlie McCann indicated that there were no new updates to share about the case. While some previously searched areas would be revisited in the ongoing efforts, the RCMP did not disclose the number of searchers or investigators still involved.

Throughout this trying time, Daniel Martell, the stepfather of Lily and Jack Sullivan, remained steadfast in his hope for the children’s safe return. He believed they had slipped out of the sliding back door while he and their mother tended to their one-year-old daughter in the bedroom. Despite Martell’s assertions that the children were abducted, the RCMP maintained that there was no evidence to support this theory.

Martell cooperated fully with the investigation, providing detailed accounts of the events leading up to the disappearance. He willingly surrendered his phone and allowed investigators to search his home and belongings thoroughly. Martell even requested to undergo a polygraph test to dispel any doubts surrounding his involvement, a request that would be fulfilled in the coming days.

As the search transitioned from an active operation to a more targeted approach, volunteers returned home, and the children’s mother, Malehya Brooks-Murray, sought solace with her family elsewhere in the province. The children’s grandmother, Cyndy Murray, expressed the family’s unwavering hope for Lily and Jack’s safe return, while a makeshift memorial outside the Stellarton RCMP detachment served as a poignant reminder of the community’s support and solidarity.

Despite the scaled-back search efforts, the commitment to finding Lily and Jack Sullivan remained unwavering. As the investigation continued and the community rallied behind the family, the hope for a positive resolution to this heart-wrenching situation persisted.