Briefing Document: Disappearance of Lilly and Jack Sullivan (Nova Scotia, 2025)

Briefing Document: Disappearance of Lilly and Jack Sullivan (Nova Scotia, 2025)

Date: June 14, 2025

Subject: Review of key information surrounding the disappearance of Lilly and Jack Sullivan from Lansdowne Station, Pictou County, Nova Scotia on May 2, 2025.

Sources:

• "Disappearance of Lilly and Jack Sullivan - Wikipedia"

• "Investigators have confirmed Lilly and Jack Sullivan were seen in public with family members on the afternoon of May 1st, the day before they were reported missing. : r/TrueCrimeDiscussion - Reddit"

• "Lily & Jack Sullivan: The Blame That Buried the Truth"

• "N.S. missing kids: RCMP 'fully engaged' in finding out what happened to Lilly and Jack | Globalnews.ca"

• "Police release new details as search for Jack and Lilly Sullivan continues - Newsweek"

• "RCMP release timeline of when Sullivan children were last seen - CityNews Halifax"

• "Search for Lilly and Jack Sullivan continues into fourth week in Pictou County, N.S."

• "Stepdad of missing N.S. kids says he hopes 'something positive' will come from renewed search | CBC News"

• "Update: Missing children investigation and search in Pictou County"

• "What happened to the Sullivan kids in Nova Scotia? - CityNews Toronto"

Key Themes:

• Unsolved Disappearance in a Rural Setting: Six-year-old Lilly and four-year-old Jack Sullivan disappeared from their rural home surrounded by woods and dense brush. Despite extensive search efforts involving ground search and rescue, RCMP, and the Underwater Recovery Team, they remain missing.

• Conflicting Narratives and Suspicion: The accounts and behaviors of the children's mother, Malehya Brooks-Murray, and stepfather, Daniel Martell, have drawn significant public scrutiny and speculation. The mother left the area shortly after the disappearance and cut contact with Martell, while Martell has made public statements and appeals, but his demeanor and actions have been questioned by some.

• Timeline and Last Known Sightings: The children were reported missing on the morning of May 2, 2025. Police have confirmed, based on video footage and eyewitness accounts, that Lilly and Jack were seen in public with family members in New Glasgow on the afternoon of May 1st. The specific location and involved family members on May 1st are not fully clear from all sources, though some point to various businesses in New Glasgow.

• Police Investigation and Challenges: The RCMP are actively investigating the disappearance, treating it as a missing persons case while not ruling out suspicious circumstances or abduction. They have received hundreds of tips and conducted dozens of interviews. Key challenges include the lack of physical evidence of the children's whereabouts, the dense terrain, and the lack of an Amber Alert being issued due to no confirmed evidence of abduction. Police are actively seeking dashcam and trail cam footage from the area dating back to April 28th.

• Public Engagement and Frustration: The case has garnered significant public attention in Canada, with community members organizing searches, vigils, and online discussions. There is evident frustration and speculation within the public regarding the lack of progress in the investigation and the actions of those closest to the children.

Most Important Ideas or Facts:

• Date and Location of Disappearance: Lilly (6) and Jack (4) Sullivan were reported missing on the morning of May 2, 2025, from their home on Gairloch Road in Lansdowne Station, Pictou County, Nova Scotia. (Wikipedia, CityNews Halifax, CityNews Toronto)

• Last Confirmed Sighting: Police have officially confirmed that the children were seen in public with family members on the afternoon of May 1st, 2025. This sighting occurred in New Glasgow, approximately 30 kilometers from their home. (Reddit, Globalnews.ca, Newsweek, CityNews Halifax)

• "Based on the details we've gathered so far, we've confirmed that Lilly and Jack were observed in public with family members on the afternoon of May 1," says Cpl. Sandy Matharu, Northeast Nova RCMP Major Crime Unit. (CityNews Halifax)

• Stepfather's Account of May 2nd: Daniel Martell, the stepfather, stated that he and the children's mother, Malehya Brooks-Murray, last heard the children on the morning of May 2nd while they were in bed with their baby. He reported that Lilly came into the bedroom, and they could hear Jack in the kitchen. A few minutes later, when they didn't hear them, Martell went to check and found the sliding door closed and the children's boots gone. He believes they slipped outside through the sliding door. (Reddit)

• "Daniel Robert Martell, who identifies as the children’s stepfather, told The Chronicle Herald earlier this month that he and the children’s mother, Malehya Brooks-Murray, last heard Jack and Lily on the morning of May 2, as they lay in bed with their baby." (Reddit)

• "He surmised the children slipped outside through a sliding door." (Reddit)

• Mother's Actions: Malehya Brooks-Murray left the area the day after the children's disappearance (May 3rd) with her infant daughter to be with her family in another part of Nova Scotia. She reportedly blocked Daniel Martell on social media and has cut contact with him. While police state she is cooperating privately, her absence from public vigils and appeals has been noted and questioned. (Wikipedia, Reddit, "Lily & Jack Sullivan: The Blame That Buried the Truth")

• "...after the children disappeared she reportedly left him and the county with their baby and is staying with family.” (Reddit)

• "...maleia cuts contact hires a lawyer and vanishes from Nova Scotia's gaze rcmp's Cur tis McKinnon says she cooperates privately but her absence from Stellton's vigil from every plea is a wound" ("Lily & Jack Sullivan: The Blame That Buried the Truth")

• Stepfather's Public Role and Speculation: Daniel Martell has been vocal in the media, making appeals for the children's return. He has requested a polygraph test and has expressed hope for the search efforts. However, his calm demeanor in interviews and a leaked message blaming Malehya have fueled public suspicion. He has also reportedly highlighted that the children have undiagnosed autism. (Reddit, CBC News, "Lily & Jack Sullivan: The Blame That Buried the Truth", Newsweek)

• "Daniel Martell says he hopes a renewed search to find his stepchildren has a positive outcome." (CBC News)

• "a leaked message sent days earlier if she hadn't left none of this would have happened he blames Malahya" ("Lily & Jack Sullivan: The Blame That Buried the Truth")

• "According to reporting from the National Post, the children's stepfather, Daniel Robert Martell, said the two have undiagnosed autism and that they don't typically stray far from home." (Newsweek)

• Police Stance on Abduction: Authorities have stated there is no evidence of abduction, but they have "not ruled out" that the disappearance is suspicious. (Wikipedia, "Lily & Jack Sullivan: The Blame That Buried the Truth")

• "Authorities have stated that there is no evidence that the children were abducted, but that they have 'not ruled out' that the disappearance is suspicious." (Wikipedia)

• Search Efforts: Initial large-scale ground searches were undertaken and later scaled back. Several organized searches have continued, focusing on the area around the home and a nearby "pipeline trail" where a small boot print was previously found. The RCMP's Underwater Recovery Team also searched bodies of water without finding evidence. (Wikipedia, Globalnews.ca, "Lily & Jack Sullivan: The Blame That Buried the Truth", Update: Missing children investigation...)

• "A large search effort was immediately undertaken, and was scaled back on May 7." (Wikipedia)

• "Officials said at the time it was another “targeted search” around the Gairloch Road area, as well as a nearby “pipeline trail,” where a small boot print was previously found." (Globalnews.ca)

• Police Request for Footage: The RCMP are specifically requesting dashcam or trail cam footage from Gairloch Road between April 28th and May 2nd, suggesting they are trying to establish a timeline and potentially identify vehicles or activity in the area. (Reddit, CityNews Halifax, "Lily & Jack Sullivan: The Blame That Buried the Truth")

• "Police are asking people to send them dashcam footage or videos along Gairloch Road between 12:00 p.m. on April 28 and 12:00 p.m. on May 2 — the week leading up to the children going missing." (CityNews Halifax)

• Number of Tips and Interviews: As of May 13th, over 180 tips had been received, and over 35 people had been formally interviewed, including family and community members. (Update: Missing children investigation...)

Areas of Uncertainty and Speculation:

• The specific circumstances and participants in the confirmed May 1st sighting.

• The reasons behind the mother's departure and severed contact with the stepfather, beyond being with family and hiring a lawyer.

• The significance of the reported 6 a.m. call to the school excusing the children on May 2nd, if confirmed.

• The exact time the children were last seen or heard on the morning of May 2nd and the two-hour gap noted by some between the reported time of last hearing them and the 911 call.

• The ownership and significance of the children's belongings found on the pipeline trail.

• The ongoing tensions and accusations of blame between family members.

• Why an Amber Alert was not issued.

Overall Assessment:

The disappearance of Lilly and Jack Sullivan is a deeply concerning and currently unsolved case. Despite extensive search efforts and a police investigation, there is no concrete evidence of their whereabouts. The confirmed public sighting on May 1st narrows the timeframe of their disappearance, but the circumstances surrounding that morning remain unclear and subject to conflicting accounts. The actions of the children's mother and stepfather, coupled with the lack of definitive leads, have fueled significant public speculation and suspicion. The RCMP continue to pursue all possibilities, emphasizing the importance of public assistance with any relevant information or footage. The case highlights the challenges of searching dense rural areas and the complexities that can arise within a family unit during a crisis.

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