‘My heart tells me these babies are gone,’ says grandmother of missing N.S. children
Belynda Gray woke up to a nightmare on May 3, as police cars pulled into her driveway with flashing red and blue lights. Her son, Cody Sullivan, is the father of Lilly and Jack Sullivan, two young children who went missing from their home in Lansdowne Station, Nova Scotia the day before.
The police officers came into her home, asking when Cody had last seen the children and confirming that they were not there. After a brief interaction, they left, leaving Belynda with a sinking feeling in her heart.
Lilly and Jack’s disappearance has sparked an extensive search effort in the rural Nova Scotia community. Despite the efforts of nearly a dozen RCMP units, little evidence has been found to piece together what happened to the young siblings.
Belynda shared that Cody had been in a relationship with the children’s mother, Malehya Brooks-Murray, for three years. When their relationship ended and Brooks-Murray sought sole custody of the children, Cody chose to walk away from them. This decision left Belynda heartbroken, as she wanted to maintain a relationship with her grandchildren.
The last time Belynda saw Lilly and Jack was nearly two years ago. When she received the news of their disappearance, she rushed to Pictou County to join the search efforts. The dense woods surrounding the children’s home proved to be a challenging terrain to search through.
Despite extensive efforts by search and rescue teams, the children have not been found. The search has included helicopters, drones, and targeted searches of the area. Belynda feels that every possible area has been covered, with ribbons marking off the searched locations.
The case has attracted international attention, with people from around the world following the story. Daniel Martell, Brooks-Murray’s new boyfriend, expressed the toll the ordeal has taken on his family. He commended investigators for their efforts in solving what he described as a “mysterious” and “strange” case.
The RCMP have stated that every missing persons case is considered suspicious until proven otherwise. They have not uncovered any evidence to suggest that the children were abducted. Belynda shared that the police have questioned her and Cody multiple times, but have since informed her that they are no longer focusing on him as a suspect.
Belynda described Lilly as her “little dream girl” and Jack as a serious and sober child. She speaks of them in the past tense, as she fears they may no longer be alive. Her heartache is shared by many, as the community and the world at large continue to hope for the safe return of Lilly and Jack.
The search for Lilly and Jack Sullivan continues, as Belynda and her family hold onto hope that they will be found and brought back home.
