Briefing Document: The Disappearance of Lily and Jack Sullivan

Date: June 13, 2025

Subject: Review of key information regarding the disappearance of Lily and Jack Sullivan from Lansdowne Station, Nova Scotia.

Sources: CityNews Halifax, Reddit (r/halifax, r/MissingPersons, r/MissingPersonsCanada), Websleuths, YouTube, Newsweek, CBC News, CTV News, The Chronicle Herald (via Timeline article).

Summary:

Six-year-old Lily Sullivan and four-year-old Jack Sullivan were reported missing from their home in Lansdowne Station, Nova Scotia, on May 2, 2025. The initial report to police, a 911 call received "just after 10 a.m.", indicated they had "wandered away". Extensive ground and water searches have been conducted in the area surrounding their home on Gairloch Road, but have yielded no definitive signs of the children. Authorities have scaled back the physical search efforts, stating it is unlikely the children survived based on the duration of their disappearance and the terrain. The case is being treated as suspicious until determined otherwise, with the RCMP's Major Crime Unit involved. Public speculation and misinformation online have become a significant issue, prompting warnings about the potential for legal trouble and the harm caused to the family and community. The children's stepfather, Daniel Robert Martell, has been vocal in the media, expressing concerns about the speed of the police response and suggesting abduction as a possibility.

Key Themes and Important Information:

1. The Disappearance and Initial Search:

• Date and Time of Disappearance: Reported missing on May 2, 2025, after failing to return home. The 911 call reporting they had "wandered away" was received "just after 10 a.m."

• Location: Lansdowne Station, a small community in northeastern Nova Scotia. Their home is on Gairloch Road, bordering a heavily wooded area with thick brush and steep banks.

• Initial Theory: Reported as having "wandered away" from their home.

• Search Efforts: Extensive ground and water searches conducted by search and rescue teams, RCMP, and volunteers. Focus areas included Gairloch Road, a nearby pipeline where a boot print was found, and surrounding bodies of water.

• Limited Findings: A boot print was found near the pipeline, but a water bottle and t-shirts found earlier in the search were confirmed by the parents not to belong to the children. The RCMP’s Underwater Recovery Team’s two-day operation did not uncover evidence in nearby bodies of water.

• Scaling Back Search: Physical search efforts have been scaled back by the RCMP. Staff Sgt. Curtis MacKinnon stated it is unlikely the children survived, based on the duration of the disappearance and the challenging terrain.

2. Investigative Status and Concerns:

• Suspicious Case: RCMP are treating the case as suspicious until determined otherwise.

• Major Crime Unit Involvement: The RCMP's Major Crime Unit has been involved in the investigation since May 3.

• Interviews and Tips: As of May 15, investigators have identified 35 people for formal interviews and are following up on 180 public tips.

• No Confirmed Sightings: There have been no confirmed sightings of Lily or Jack since their disappearance.

• RCMP Knowledge: CTV public safety analyst Chris Lewis believes the RCMP "know more than they're telling us" and are "on to something." He also found the statement that the children were unlikely to have survived "an absolute shock."

• Areas to Revisit: The RCMP have indicated there are spots they want to revisit, potentially specific dense areas within the already searched zone, or other locations.

3. Family and Their Perspectives:

• Children's Characteristics: The children's stepfather, Daniel Robert Martell, stated they have undiagnosed autism and don't typically stray far from home. Jack was wearing a pull-up, and Lily had a white backpack with red strawberries.

• Stepfather's Account and Concerns: Martell told The Chronicle Herald that he and the children's mother, Malehya Brooks-Murray, were in their bedroom with their baby and heard the children in the kitchen. Lily came into the bedroom, and a few minutes later, they noticed the children were gone, their boots and Lily’s bookbag missing. Martell "immediately jumped in the vehicle and searched neighbouring roads, looking in culverts" before returning home to find the RCMP present.

• Criticism of Police Response: Daniel Martell "feels the police response was not swift enough and that more resources should have been made available." He has also asked authorities to expand the search to monitor the New Brunswick border and nearby airports, suggesting abduction as a possibility. This criticism of the police response has been noted by others as potentially "off putting."

• Mother's Communication: According to Martell, Brooks-Murray ceased communication with him after leaving with the grandmother.

• Cooperation with Police: Martell has spoken to Major Crime multiple times, provided his cell phone, and agreed to a lie detector test.

4. Online Activity and Misinformation:

• Widespread Speculation: There has been significant and "ghoulish speculation" online about the fate of the children and the potential involvement of family members.

• Moderation Efforts: Some online forums, such as the r/halifax subreddit, have implemented strict moderation policies, removing all speculation based on an "RCMP social media guide."

• Legal Implications: Sharing theories online could potentially lead to legal trouble. The outcome of a previous civil suit related to online speculation about another missing child (Dylan Ehler) resulted in individuals agreeing not to post about the disappearance.

• Harm to Family and Community: Justice Minister Becky Druhan stated that the "spread of misinformation, inaccurate information and speculation" is "harmful to the families and communities who are trying to work their way through a traumatic, traumatic event." She highlighted the availability of tools under Nova Scotia's Cyber Protection Act and CyberScan to address such issues.

• Calls for Caution: A volunteer in the search has urged caution against speculation online.

5. Anomaly Observations:

• Backpack Missing: The fact that Lily's backpack was missing is seen by some as an "odd" detail that doesn't necessarily align with a simple "wandering off" scenario, although others find it normal for children going on an "adventure" or taking snacks.

• Stepfather's Timeline: There are questions raised about the timeline provided by the stepfather, specifically the mention of the "sun was up" when Lily came into the bedroom, as it seems inconsistent with the RCMP's reported start time of the search "just after 10 a.m."

Quotes of Note:

• "The Sullivan children were reported missing May 2 from their home in Lansdowne Station, a small community in northeastern Nova Scotia." - CityNews Halifax

• "Search and rescue teams have been focusing on a specific area around Gairloch Road and the nearby pipeline where a boot print had previously been found." - CityNews Halifax

• "Crews have been searching for Lilly Sullivan, 6, and Jack Sullivan, 4, since May 2, when police received a 911 call reporting that they had wandered away from their home on Gairloch Road in Lansdowne Station." - CBC News

• "Staff Sgt. Curtis MacKinnon confirmed during a news conference Wednesday that the RCMP's major crime unit has been involved in the investigation since May 3." - CBC News

• "MacKinnon said all missing persons files 'are treated as suspicious until our investigation leads us to determine otherwise.'" - CBC News

• "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

• "Daniel Martell, who has been in a relationship with the children's mother for three years, told CBC News on Sunday that he feels the police response was not swift enough and that more resources should have been made available.'' - Websleuths

• ''Meanwhile, the stepfather of the children said he wants authorities to expand their search to monitor the New Brunswick border and nearby airports in case the children were abducted.'' - Websleuths

• "I would find it normal if this were a planned by two littles adventure. But the two big theories seem to be 'wandered off' which would seem more impromptu. Or abducted (I find this the least likely)" - tlcya, Websleuths

• "It was an absolute shock to me to be honest because I'm thinking after 5 six days there's a good chance they're still alive... so to make that statement also makes me think that they're suspecting something more than a couple of children lost in the bush." - Chris Lewis, CTV News

• "what struck me the most I think is that I left it with a feeling that the RCMP know more than they're telling us... they're on to something." - Chris Lewis, CTV News

• "I want to take the opportunity to say that if anybody does have information about this case that they should reach out to authorities, reach out to the RCMP to share that because that’s really the avenue to a solution for this.” - Justice Minister Becky Druhan, via The Chronicle Herald

• "I just want to say that that’s harmful, it’s harmful to the families and communities who are trying to work their way through a traumatic, traumatic event,” - Justice Minister Becky Druhan, via The Chronicle Herald

• "The ghoulish speculation about the fate of these kids by some members of the sub has been a blight on our community." - maximumice, Reddit

Outstanding Questions/Areas for Further Information:

• A precise timeline of events on the morning of May 2, including when the children were last definitively seen by an adult and the exact time the 911 call was made.

• The specific rationale behind the RCMP's assessment that the children are unlikely to have survived.

• Details about the "specific area around Gairloch Road and the nearby pipeline" where the boot print was found.

• More information regarding the 35 individuals being interviewed and the nature of the 180 public tips.

• Further clarification on the stepfather's movements and actions between the time he noticed the children were gone and the arrival of the RCMP.

• Information regarding whether the children were enrolled in school or daycare and when they were last seen by someone outside the immediate family.

Conclusion:

The disappearance of Lily and Jack Sullivan is a complex and deeply concerning case that has garnered national attention. Despite extensive search efforts, the children remain missing. The involvement of the Major Crime Unit and the RCMP's statement about the unlikelihood of survival suggest the investigation may be moving beyond a simple lost persons case. The online environment surrounding the case is highly active with speculation, highlighting the challenges of managing public discourse during sensitive investigations and the potential harm of spreading unverified information. The stepfather's public statements and perceived timeline discrepancies are also points of discussion and concern within the online community. The focus remains on finding Lily and Jack and understanding the full circumstances of their disappearance.