Court documents and family statements reveal discrepancies in the initial reports surrounding the disappearance of Lilly and Jack Sullivan, as investigators continue to probe the case six months after the siblings vanished from their rural Nova Scotia home.

Lilly Sullivan, 6, and her brother Jack Sullivan, 4, were reported missing on the morning of May 2, 2025, from the family’s trailer on Gairloch Road in Lansdowne Station, a remote area in Pictou County about 140 kilometers northeast of Halifax. Their mother, Malehya Brooks-Murray, placed the 911 call at 10:01 a.m., stating that the children had likely wandered out through a sliding glass back door while she and stepfather Daniel Martell were in bed with their one-year-old daughter, Meadow. The property, surrounded by dense woods, steep banks, and thick brush, includes a separate building where Martell’s mother, Janie Mackenzie, resided. Brooks-Murray described hearing the children playing in an adjacent room around 8 or 9 a.m., briefly dozing off before discovering them gone. She noted the children were marked absent from school that day due to illness, and their boots were missing from the home.

The initial narrative centered on the siblings venturing into the nearby terrain, a scenario Brooks-Murray attributed to their possible undiagnosed autism traits, which made them curious but not prone to long excursions. Martell recounted placing a wrench on the front door handle the night before, which remained undisturbed, suggesting exit via the back door—described as typically silent when opened. He said he immediately drove nearby roads and searched the woods on foot, while Brooks-Murray joined ground efforts. Mackenzie, the step-grandmother, recalled hearing the children laughing on backyard swings around 8:50 a.m. before falling back asleep.

Early searches were exhaustive, covering 8.5 square kilometers with over 150 personnel, including RCMP officers, Nova Scotia Ground Search and Rescue volunteers, helicopters, drones, and scent-tracking dogs. A potential child-sized boot print and fragment of a pink blanket—identified as Lilly’s comfort item—were found about a kilometer from the home on May 4, but subsequent dog searches yielded no matches. Another blanket piece appeared in household trash at the driveway’s end, confirmed as part of the same item, which Brooks-Murray said she discarded after warmer weather arrived. No definitive footprints, dropped belongings, or scents were detected in the immediate area, prompting questions about the feasibility of the wandering account in such rugged, noisy surroundings.

Discrepancies emerged quickly in the parents’ details. Initial reports described Jack in only a pull-up diaper, later adjusted to include casual play clothes. Lilly was said to have been homebound all week due to illness, yet no school absences were logged before May 1, and no pharmacy or medical records corroborated treatment. The last confirmed sighting of the children was May 1 at 2:25 p.m., captured on surveillance at a New Glasgow Dollarama with Brooks-Murray, Martell, and Meadow. Brooks-Murray first told police she put Lilly and Jack to bed at 9 p.m. that evening, later revising it to 10 p.m., noting Martell stayed up to clean but the house remained untidy. She reported no disturbances overnight and uncertainty about when Martell joined her in bed. These shifts, detailed in court filings, fueled public speculation, amplified by online forums and true crime discussions.

Neighbors in the sparse community expressed unfamiliarity with the children, describing the property as quiet with occasional late-night visitors, though no direct links to the disappearance. Court documents from August 2025 revealed RCMP requests for surveillance footage from the Cobequid Pass toll plaza dating back to April 27—five days before the report—indicating early timeline concerns. Witnesses near the home reported hearing a vehicle depart and return multiple times after midnight on May 1-2, described as staying within earshot but stopping intermittently in the distance. However, RCMP reviewed local cameras and found no corroborating evidence of such activity, and Martell denied any family departures or guests that night, attributing the only movement to his morning search in Brooks-Murray’s SUV.

Family dynamics added layers of complexity. Brooks-Murray and Martell separated days after the report; she relocated to relatives elsewhere in the province, blocked him on social media, and stepped back from public statements. Martell, on stress leave from his sawmill job, became the visible advocate, giving repeated interviews with consistent phrasing that some observers noted as rehearsed. Their biological father, Cody Sullivan, estranged for three years after a custody dispute, met investigators on May 22 and passed a June 12 polygraph. Both parents underwent exams on May 12 at Bible Hill RCMP detachment, deemed truthful by officers, with Martell volunteering his to clear suspicions. Maternal grandmother Cindy Murray and her partner also tested truthful on July 2. Yet, the third child, Meadow, was placed with protective services post-disappearance, amid reviews of the household environment, though specifics remain confidential.

The RCMP’s Northeast Nova Major Crime Unit leads the effort under the Missing Persons Act, involving over 11 specialized teams, forensics, and collaborations with New Brunswick, Ontario detachments, the National Centre for Missing Persons, and the Canadian Centre for Child Protection. Over 800 tips have been pursued, including from true crime YouTube channels and social media, but none have resolved the case. A $150,000 provincial reward, offered since June, incentivizes information of investigative value via Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or the P3 Tips app. Recent cadaver dog deployments in late September and October around the property and interior detected no human scents, and a “last-ditch” volunteer search is planned for November before winter complicates efforts. Staff Sgt. Curtis MacKinnon describes the work as “careful, deliberate,” considering all scenarios without confirming criminality.

Before May 2, Lilly and Jack attended Salt Springs Elementary, 18 kilometers away, with Lilly excelling in art and Jack enjoying playground energy around vehicles and bugs. Family photos show a blended household with simple joys—crafting, swings, and sibling bonds—despite financial strains at the mill and Martell’s recent job slowdown. Brooks-Murray, from Sipekne’katik First Nation, managed home life, while the children’s paternal grandmother, Belynda Gray, has led vigils and called for a public inquiry in August, citing systemic gaps in child protection. Premier Tim Houston echoed provincial prayers in May, and online platforms like the “Find Lilly and Jack Sullivan” Facebook page sustain awareness.

Pictou County’s rural isolation—43,000 residents amid forests and limited surveillance—highlights challenges in such cases, per RCMP data on prolonged rural inquiries. The Sullivan story has sparked talks on enhanced safeguards, from community patrols to property barriers. Volunteers, including a recent group from the Nova Scotia Guard, continue ground scans for items like clothing. On X, discussions reference the vehicle reports and cadaver results, with users urging tips.

As November approaches, the investigation persists methodically, with quarterly updates promised. Martell, attending Jack’s October 29 birthday vigil amid blue balloons and candles, reiterated doubts about the woods theory: “Everything’s been searched.” Gray’s poem at the event vowed steadfast pursuit. Amid the inconsistencies—from bedtime revisions to unseen visitors—the focus remains on resolution. Authorities seek any detail, however small.