2 Nova Scotia children are still missing. Here's a timeline of the case

1 month_ago 26

Nova Scotia·New

It's been 2 weeks since 2 young children vanished without a hint successful agrarian Nova Scotia. Here's a look backmost astatine what's happened since they disappeared.

Lilly Sullivan, 6, and Jack Sullivan, 4, disappeared connected May 2

CBC News

· Posted: May 16, 2025 5:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 11 minutes ago

On the near is simply a schoolhouse photograph of a miss wearing a graduation gown, and a small lad smiling successful a plaid garment connected the right.

It's been 2 weeks since 2 young children vanished without a hint successful agrarian Nova Scotia.

Here's a look backmost astatine what's happened since they disappeared.

FRIDAY, MAY 2

Around 10 a.m., six-year-old Lilly Sullivan and four-year-old Jack Sullivan are reported missing from their location connected Gairloch Road successful Lansdowne Station successful Pictou County, astir 25 kilometres southwest of New Glasgow.

The children's stepfather, Daniel Martell, told CBC News the siblings had been kept location from schoolhouse that day, and the erstwhile day, due to the fact that Lilly had a cough. There was nary schoolhouse connected that Wednesday due to the fact that it was a nonrecreational improvement time for teachers.

Martell said portion helium and their mother, Malehya Brooks-Murray, were successful the chamber with their one-year-old daughter, Lilly came successful and retired respective times, and Jack could beryllium heard successful the kitchen. Shortly after, they could not perceive the children.

Martell said helium believes the children opened the sliding backmost door, which helium said is astir silent, and went outside.

The location borders a heavy wooded country with steep banks and heavy brush.

At 12:25 p.m., RCMP contented a quality merchandise notifying the nationalist astir the missing children and asking anyone with accusation to travel forward. Police accidental they believe the children wandered distant from their home, and determination was nary grounds of abduction.

At 4:55 p.m., the Mounties contented an update, saying the hunt is ongoing and asking the nationalist to enactment distant from the area. The quality merchandise says a susceptible missing persons advisory was issued for Pictou County earlier that day.

SATURDAY, MAY 3

Volunteers search through the night. More than 100 people are involved successful the search, which includes crushed hunt and rescue, canine services, drones and helicopters.

Officials remain optimistic the children volition beryllium found.

At 5:26 p.m., Nova Scotia RCMP issue a wider missing persons alert to Pictou, Colchester and Antigonish counties.

The children's mother speaks to CTV News, saying she is staying hopeful.

SUNDAY, MAY 4

As the hunt continues for the missing children, their stepfather says helium wants authorities to show the New Brunswick borderline and adjacent airports successful lawsuit the children were abducted.

RCMP Staff Sgt. Curtis MacKinnon says 160 searchers are retired looking for the children, contempt challenging conditions owed to dense rain.

MONDAY, MAY 5

Police and rescue agencies continue to hunt for the children 24/7.

Nova Scotia RCMP told CBC News searchers located what could've been a footprint connected Saturday, and expanded the hunt effort successful that area.

Four drones with thermal imaging exertion are utilized astatine nighttime to look for vigor signatures successful the woods.

TUESDAY, MAY 6

Five days since the children were reported missing, a Nova Scotia RCMP spokesperson says the lawsuit remains a missing persons investigation.

The children's stepfather tells CBC News that aft their disappearance, the children's parent near the country to beryllium with her household successful different portion of the state and blocked him connected societal media.

He said determination was an statement betwixt the 2 families retired successful the gait of the location that day.

The children's maternal grandma speaks to The Canadian Press in a little telephone interview.

Cyndy Murray says the household is "hoping and praying" for the children to travel home. She besides says police advised the household against speaking to the public.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 7

At 2 p.m., Nova Scotia RCMP announce the hunt for the missing kids is being "scaled back."

Staff Sgt. Curtis MacKinnon says determination hasn't been immoderate confirmed sightings of the children and it is improbable they are alive.

He says searchers person covered a heavy wooded four-square-kilometre country — roughly the size of Halifax's downtown — and teams volition beryllium returning to areas antecedently searched.

The children's stepfather tells CBC News he's exhausted.

THURSDAY, MAY 8

The Nova Scotia RCMP battalion up their bid centre successful Lansdowne Station and searchers leave the area.

The children's stepfather tells CBC News that helium spoke with investigators from the large transgression portion astatine the Stellarton RCMP detachment earlier successful the week.

He says helium willingly handed implicit his telephone to constabulary and investigators person searched the home.

Martell says helium has besides asked for a polygraph test, but RCMP diminution to accidental whether a polygraph would beryllium administered.

An RCMP underwater team searches bodies of h2o successful the Lansdowne Station area.

Meanwhile, a makeshift memorial is taking signifier astatine the adjacent Stellarton RCMP detachment, wherever assemblage members are laying stuffed animals and flowers.

FRIDAY, MAY 9, TO MONDAY, MAY 12

On May 9, an RCMP underwater team continues to search bodies of h2o successful the Lansdowne Station area.

On May 12, a supportive assemblage drop-in lawsuit is held by Nova Scotia Health astatine West River Fire Hall.

According to Nova Scotia Health, 17 families be the event, where SchoolsPlus facilitators pb child-friendly activities, and crisis, outreach and wellness promotion unit are on manus to connection enactment and assets navigation.

At 3:04 p.m., RCMP contented a quality merchandise correcting the spelling of Lilly's name. The bureau had antecedently been spelling her sanction arsenic Lily.

TUESDAY, MAY 13

The children person present been missing for 12 days.

At 12:54 p.m., Nova Scotia RCMP issue a merchandise saying they are continuing to analyse the case.

Police accidental they are pursuing up connected much than 180 tips from the nationalist and person identified 35 radical to behaviour ceremonial interviews with. Those radical see assemblage members and those closest to the family.

Police besides confirm that an underwater betterment squad searched lakes astir Lansdowne Station connected May 8 and 9, but did not uncover immoderate evidence.