Lily and Jack Sullivan: Still Missing After 1 Year

More than a year has passed since two young siblings vanished from a quiet rural road in Nova Scotia. Lilly and Jack Sullivan were last seen in their home on the morning of May 2, 2025.

Disappeared: May 2, 2025 ·
Location: Lansdowne Station, Pictou County, Nova Scotia ·
Ages at disappearance: Lilly: 6 years, Jack: 4 years ·
Status: Still missing (345+ days) ·
Stepfather: Daniel Martell, facing separate charges

The table below summarizes the key facts surrounding the disappearance of Lilly and Jack Sullivan as documented by investigators and confirmed through public records.

Have Lily and Jack Sullivan Ever Been Found?

No. As of early 2026, neither child has been located. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Northeast Nova Major Crime Unit continues to treat the case as an active missing persons investigation, and no public breakthrough has been announced.

Current search status

The initial search effort was substantial. By May 4, 2025 — just two days after the disappearance — RCMP had mobilized 160 people to search the rural property and surrounding woods on Gairloch Road (Wikipedia). The property was described as surrounded by steep banks, thick brush, and dense forest, terrain that complicated efforts. Cadaver dogs were brought in, and volunteers joined the search. Despite this, no trace of the children was found.

By May 7, 2025, the intensive ground search was scaled back — not because leads had dried up, but because no evidence pointed to a specific area to target (Wikipedia). RCMP stated the investigation shifted to technology-based criminality probes, suggesting they were treating the case as potentially suspicious without ruling either way.

Recent breakthroughs claimed

In late January 2026, Daniel Martell — the children’s stepfather — was arrested and charged with assault, sexual assault, and unlawful confinement involving an unrelated adult woman whose identity remains protected by a publication ban (Global News). The charges stem from incidents alleged to have occurred between September 2024 and March 2025. Both RCMP and the Crown have stated publicly that these charges are unrelated to the missing children case (Global News), and Martell himself has maintained his innocence in relation to the children’s disappearance.

Are Jack and Lilly Sullivan Still Missing?

Yes. More than 345 days after they were last seen in their home, Lilly and Jack Sullivan remain missing. The case has attracted national and international media attention, yet no confirmed sightings or substantive leads have surfaced publicly.

Timeline since disappearance

The sequence of events in the first 24 hours is documented in official records:

• 8:00–9:40 a.m., May 2, 2025: Parents told police the children were inside the home. The exact time they were last seen varies by account (Wikipedia)
• 10:01 a.m., May 2, 2025: Malehya Brooks-Murray called 911 to report the children missing (Wikipedia)
• 12:45 a.m., May 3, 2025: Brooks-Murray told police that estranged father Cody Sullivan may have taken the children to New Brunswick (Wikipedia)
• May 4, 2025: 160 volunteers and RCMP officers actively searching the property and surrounding area (Wikipedia)
• May 7, 2025: Ground search scaled back; investigation shifted to continued inquiry mode (Wikipedia)
• January 26, 2026: Daniel Martell arrested at 11:30 a.m. on separate charges (Wikipedia)
• January 29, 2026: RCMP confirmed Martell’s charges publicly (Wikipedia)

Official statements

RCMP has maintained a publicly available tip line for the case. The Northeast Nova Major Crime Unit can be reached at 902-896-5060, and Crime Stoppers accepts anonymous tips at 1-800-222-8477 (YouTube Analysis). Beyond this, the RCMP has not issued detailed public statements beyond confirming the investigation remains active.

What’s Going on with Jack and Lily Sullivan?

Beyond the ongoing missing persons investigation, the case has intersected with a separate criminal matter involving the children’s stepfather. The two cases have drawn public attention for their coexistence in the same household.

Stepfather’s court cases

Daniel Martell, 34, faces charges of assault, sexual assault, and unlawful confinement tied to an incident involving an adult woman. The alleged incidents occurred between September 2024 and March 2025, according to court records (YouTube – Arraignment). He was arrested on January 26, 2026 and released with conditions. A court date for the assault case is scheduled for May 4, 2026, having been postponed from an earlier March 2026 setting (Global News).

Martell has given multiple media interviews in which he maintains innocence in relation to the missing children case (Global News). He is represented by Nova Scotia Legal Aid, and was not present at some scheduled hearings, which contributed to delays (Global News). The Crown has received additional evidence from police for review.

Media and public attention

The case has drawn sustained coverage from Canadian and international outlets. The Global News reporting and YouTube news channels covering the court proceedings have kept the case in public view (Global News). A dedicated Facebook page tracking the case has continued to post updates marking the number of days the children have been missing.

Who is the Biological Father of Lilly and Jack Sullivan?

Cody Sullivan is the biological father of both children. He was estranged from the family at the time of the disappearance. Within hours of the 911 call, the children’s mother suggested to police that Cody may have taken the children to New Brunswick (Wikipedia).

Mother and stepfather details

The children’s mother is Malehya Brooks-Murray (sometimes spelled Maleyha Brooks-Murray). She reported the children missing on the morning of May 2, 2025. She left the Pictou County area shortly after the disappearance, according to available accounts (YouTube Analysis). She has not made public statements about the case.

Daniel Martell is Brooks-Murray’s partner and the children’s stepfather. He was 33 or 34 at the time of the disappearance (34 in 2026). He was present in the home and participated in early search efforts, reportedly telling investigators he heard a possible scream during the initial forest search — though the sound was obscured by a helicopter overhead (Wikipedia).

Relationship court documents

Court documents related to the custody and access arrangements between Cody Sullivan and Malehya Brooks-Murray have not been made public. Martell’s presence in the household — along with a one-year-old half-sister, Meadow — places the family unit as it existed at the time of disappearance (Wikipedia).

What this means: The family’s composition at the time of disappearance — including the stepfather’s role and the mother’s departure shortly after — adds layers of complexity to understanding the circumstances investigators are working to untangle.

What is the Truth About Lily and Jack Sullivan?

The short answer: the truth has not been established. Police have not ruled any theory in or out. The case remains open, unsolved, and classified as an active missing persons investigation with criminality under consideration.

Popular theories from Reddit and online communities

Online communities — particularly Reddit threads discussing the case — have advanced several theories. The most common speculation suggests an accidental death at the rural property and a subsequent cover-up by household members. Another recurring theory involves Cody Sullivan, the estranged biological father, taking the children across the border to New Brunswick.

These theories lack corroboration from official sources. RCMP has not named any suspect, nor have they confirmed the circumstances of how the children left the home. Surveillance footage exists of the family — including the children — in New Glasgow shortly before the disappearance, but the location and significance of this footage have not been disclosed publicly (Wikipedia).

Police and witness accounts

RCMP interviewed at least 54 individuals in connection with the case, with some subjected to polygraph examinations. None of these accounts have produced evidence of abduction — though abduction has not been formally ruled out as a possibility (Wikipedia).

Martell suggested to investigators early on that they monitor the New Brunswick border and nearby airports for signs of abduction (Wikipedia). This suggestion has been noted by online observers as either a plausible lead or a potential effort to misdirect the investigation.

Timeline

Four key dates anchor the documented timeline of the case, from the children’s birth to the stepfather’s arrest.

The pattern shows documented events, yet the critical gap remains what happened between the morning of May 2, 2025, and when the children were reported missing.

What we know — and what we don’t

The implication: Despite extensive coverage and confirmed facts about the case’s structure, investigators have not generated the breakthrough needed to account for what happened to the children that morning.

What people are saying

The crown wants to remind the public that in the eyes of the court, this matter is separate from that of missing children Lily and Jack Sullivan.

— Crown prosecutor, Pictou Provincial Court (YouTube – Arraignment)

Martell has maintained his innocence in relation to the children’s disappearance.

— Court reporter, CTV News YouTube (CTV News YouTube)

All of the charges are unrelated to the missing children case.

— Court reporter, Global News (Global News)

The consistent statement across multiple authorities — RCMP, the Crown, and courtroom records — is that the two cases are legally distinct. This has not stopped public speculation about a potential connection, but it reflects the current evidentiary position of the investigation.

The pattern: Multiple authorities have reinforced the separation between cases, yet public interest continues to scrutinize any potential links between them.

Bottom line

The disappearance of Lilly and Jack Sullivan remains unsolved more than a year later. The stepfather’s arrest on unrelated charges has renewed public attention on the case, but authorities maintain the two matters are separate. Without a breakthrough in the missing persons investigation — a location, a confession, or a credible new lead — the truth about what happened on the morning of May 2, 2025 will remain unknown.

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