CANADA Canada - Jack, 4 & Lily Sullivan, 6, Vulnerable, wandered from home 10am, Gairloch Rd, Landsdowne Station, Pictou County, NS, 2 May 2025

[Snoop Sister]

Why haven't the children's teachers and friends of the family spoken out? Or have they and I missed it?

Teachers can’t - confidentiality regarding anything personal about the children.

 

[Loyaloil]

It's just as silly as 'a little bit pregnant', IMO.

I think they may have a 'suspicion' of autism. Not sure about Canada but here in Scotland children are not typially diagnosed until school age or even 7+ in some cases. It isn't clear cut, especially given both children are verbal.

I am leaning toward their behaviours and this is why the step-dad thinks they are on the spectrum, perhaps and all IMO.

<modsnip>

 

[Stunned]

Teachers can’t - confidentiality

They can't even say how much their friends miss them at school?

 

[Fabled Automatic]

I would guess that by a little autistic they meant a level 1 vs level 3 diagnosis and not have the correct language to communicate that

That's how I took it. It's a spectrum that can vary so much. I have an autistic family member who most would never know they have the diagnosis. Conversely, a friend of mine's son is non-verbal and almost entirely non-communicative.

 

[tlcya]

Why haven't the children's teachers and friends of the family spoken out? Or have they and I missed it?

the school has released general info about their attendance there. I doubt teachers would be free to comment publicly on this case because of student privacy issues. Maternal grandmother has commented briefly in the press as has Daniel's mother I believe. Nobody else that I can recall has spoken to the press.

"We're just hoping and praying for the best — that's it — for our babies to come home," Cyndy Murray said in a brief phone interview, adding that police have advised the family against speaking with the public.

Murray is the grandmother of six-year-old Lily Sullivan and four-year-old Jack Sullivan, who were last seen Friday morning. Her daughter is the children's mother, Malehya Brooks-Murray.
https://www.cbc.ca/lite/story/1.7527553?feature=random

 

[Loyaloil]

https://www.cbc.ca/lite/story/1.7528438?feature=related-link

"I know everybody that was trying their hardest and searching.... I know they can't go forever," said Martell in an interview at his home following the media briefing. "We're still holding out hope."

<modsnip>

 

[seasideForest]

Would they not be wearing pajamas as the parents were still sleeping? I cannot imagine a 4 and 6 year old choosing outfits and dressing themselves before escaping. Were their coats also missing?
I am fearful the longer there is no news.

I'm catching up with this thread so this may have been addressed. I know I could dress myself more or less by the time I was 4 and certainly by 6. Colours didn't always match but I could dress weather-appropriate too. Couldn't tie my laces till I was 6, but these children possibly had slip-on/velcro boots as I also had in winter to late spring. Wellie boots / gum boots whatever you call them would make sense in a "swampy" area anyway.
JMO

 

[musicaljoke]

<modsnip - quoted post was removed>
Often we think the story is changing, but really it is just details that are clarified or glossed over in the retelling. If any of us had to report on what we did in the past half hour, and say it in one or two sentences, we too could later be accused of changing our story.

 

[musicaljoke]

Would they not be wearing pajamas as the parents were still sleeping? I cannot imagine a 4 and 6 year old choosing outfits and dressing themselves before escaping. Were their coats also missing?
I am fearful the longer there is no news.

For all we know, the parents may have been up at 6:00 feeding and dressing the kids. No one has said that the parents hadn't been up yet all morning, just that at 10 am they were in the bedroom.

 

[MistyWaters]

Update: Multi-agency search for missing children in Pictou County scales back | Royal Canadian Mounted Police

May 7, 2025
Lansdowne Station, Nova Scotia
News release
As of today, a multi-agency search for two missing children, six-year-old Lily Sullivan and four-year-old Jack Sullivan, will be scaled back.

Lily and Jack were reported missing on May 2, at approximately 10 a.m. It's believed they wandered away from their home on Gairloch Rd. in Lansdown Station, Pictou County.

This search has included many agencies, including volunteer ground search and rescue teams from all surrounding areas and New Brunswick, the Civil Air Search and Rescue Association, the Nova Scotia Guard, the Salvation Army, the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre, Department of Natural Resources Air Services, Nova Scotia Public Safety and Field Communications, Canada Heavy Urban Search and Rescue Task Force 5, and several RCMP units, including Police Dog Services, drone operators, and our Major Crime Unit.

"It has been an all-hands-on-deck effort, using every available resource and tool," says Staff Sergeant Curtis MacKinnon, District Commander for Pictou County District RCMP. "We're transitioning from a full-scale search to searches in smaller, more specific areas; we'll be retracing our steps to ensure all clues have been found."

Since the search began on May 2, it has been concentrated in the Gairloch Rd. area and has covered four square kilometres of heavily wooded, rural terrain. Up to 160 trained volunteer searchers, along with many others, have been involved in the search each day. Tens of thousands of search hours have been dedicated to scouring the area, and GSAR has confirmed that over 100 tracks have been laid using GPS and grid searches.

Efforts to locate Lily and Jack have also included two vulnerable missing persons alerts. One was issued in Pictou County on May 2. And on May 3, a broadcast intrusive alert was issued to Antigonish, Colchester, and Pictou counties.

"I want to assure Nova Scotians that our missing persons investigation continues," says Staff Sergeant MacKinnon. "Our focus remains on finding Lily and Jack. Our best investigators are working every aspect of this file, and our work won't stop until we know where Lily and Jack are and can bring them home."

Anyone with information is asked to contact Pictou County District RCMP at 902-485-4333. To remain anonymous, call Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers, toll-free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips app.

Our thoughts are with the children's loved ones and the community at this difficult time.

File #: 2025-583775

 

[Loyaloil]

For all we know, the parents may have been up at 6:00 feeding and dressing the kids. No one has said that the parents hadn't been up yet all morning, just that at 10 am they were in the bedroom.

Highly unlikely as the mother apparently never seen either child Friday morning & father only seen Lily and not Jack....

 

[AcerPacer]

<modsnip: Quoted post was removed> ... I did note that the step father has a scratch on his face, and that when he stopped to cry during the news interview, he was not actually shedding tears.

Of course, everyone grieves differently and a scratch might not mean anything. I'm just noting it.

And definitely worth the note!

 

[ttjo]

"I want to assure Nova Scotians that our missing persons investigation continues," says Staff Sergeant MacKinnon. "Our focus remains on finding Lily and Jack. Our best investigators are working every aspect of this file, and our work won't stop until we know where Lily and Jack are and can bring them home."
File #: 2025-583775

I liked this part.
They wont stop, just scaling back the search around the area and focusing on any other leads that come in.

 

[FansBlowing]

Parents do not usually feed babies in their bedrooms, so maybe the youngest is still being breastfed.

 

[seasideForest]

They were in school until Thursday. They remained home on Friday because one of them wasn't feeling well.

"Martell said Jack is in pre-primary and Lily is in primary. He said they were not at school on Friday because Lily had a cough."

RSBM and not aimed at you in particular, otto.
I'm catching up and responding as I go. Sorry if topic already addressed.

There are quite a few posts on whether the children were at school and why not. Canadian education seems to differ by province. Primary in Nova Scotia is like kindergarten in other parts of the country, and pre-primary like play school (or whatever it's called now), neither of which are compulsory, I think? When you are enrolled, undoubtedly you should go unless sick, but possibly not a case of truancy if you don't?
MOO

Elementary

www.hrce.ca

"In Nova Scotia, most children start school at the age of five when they begin Grade Primary (Grade Primary is another name for Kindergarten). Children may begin their learning journey even sooner, at age four, if parents/guardians register them for the optional Pre-Primary
program.

Registration for Pre-Primary and Grade Primary begins in February for September enrolment. Children must be four years old (for Pre-Primary) and five years old (for Grade Primary) on or before December 31 of the calendar year in which they are being enrolled. After Grade Primary, students move on to Grade 1."

 

[MollyHarps]

https://www.cbc.ca/lite/story/1.7528438?feature=related-link

"I know everybody that was trying their hardest and searching.... I know they can't go forever," said Martell in an interview at his home following the media briefing. "We're still holding out hope."

He really ought to just stop talking at this point....

The stepfather if he has split from the mother just needs to stop giving interviews & updates IMO.

Any updates should come from the mother imo or an appointed spokesperson for her.

 

[Andreee]

Parents do not usually feed babies in their bedrooms, so maybe the youngest is still being breastfed.

Sure they do! With a lack of sleep and being exhausted, I can attest to that. Plus with modern devices, new parents can have mini fridges & ways to warm the bottles right there and then. I've seen videos on utube of that as well lol.

 

[foxe]

They can't even say how much their friends miss them at school?

I liked this part.
They wont stop, just scaling back the search around the area and focusing on any other leads that come in.

Standard corporate LE response. Nothing special.

 

[MistyWaters]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/missing-children-pictou-county-lily-jack-sullivan-1.7527613

“The chief of Sipekne'katik First Nation, one of Nova Scotia's largest Mi'kmaw communities, issued a statement saying the children are part of their community. The children's maternal grandfather is a member of Sipekne'katik First Nation.

"Please help bring Lily and Jack back home," Michelle Glasgow wrote in a Facebook post.

On May 6, the First Nation issued a statement saying it was united "in our strong desire to see these children return home safely. Our thoughts are with them every moment until they are found."

 

[PeregrineFalcon]

For all we know, the parents may have been up at 6:00 feeding and dressing the kids. No one has said that the parents hadn't been up yet all morning, just that at 10 am they were in the bedroom.

They weren't. The parents said they hadn't seen the children they only heard them - which means they were not given breakfast, changed pull-ups, dressed, brushed teeth, and gotten their day started. Interesting that the step-dad knows how the girl was dressed but no the boy. Probably just doing their best to guess & be helpful...