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

[IzzyBlanche]

There have been numerous links posted here and I'm not sure which one contained this info.

Gotcha.

 

[dotr]

May 6 2025

Missing kids in Pictou County: Search still underway

It has been an agonizing five days for the family of Lilly, 6, and Jack Sullivan, 4, who were last seen Friday morning after reportedly wandering from their home in Lansdowne Station. The rural community, located east of Truro, and the rest of the province have been gripped by the story of two...

halifax.citynews.ca

''The children’s stepfather said that he wants the public to keep an eye out for any discarded items in the area, including a pull-up diaper that Jack is likely to have taken off by now. Lily could have dropped the backpack she was carrying as well, and Jack’s boots might slip off.''

 

[IzzyBlanche]

Is it normal for a four-year-old to be wearing a diaper of any kind, unless they had medical issues?

If not, has there been any explanation of why Jack was wearing one?

 

[IzzyBlanche]

There have been numerous links posted here and I'm not sure which one contained this info.

Thank you. I'm sure someone here remembers a link. I would like to read about it, should anyone be kind enough to post one of the links.

 

[Chimera]

Thank you. I'm sure someone here remembers a link. I would like to read about it, should anyone be kind enough to post one of the links.

I think it's in my post; # 724 ??

 

[Bethanya85]

Is it normal for a four-year-old to be wearing a diaper of any kind, unless they had medical issues?

If not, has there been any explanation of why Jack was wearing one?

It’s not outside the realm of normality (early childhood educator here), boys especially can some times need longer to develop control over their bladder. The fact that he’s known to remove it though, when it’s wet, suggests to me that he was ready to potty train if someone had chosen to focus on it— assuming he didn’t have related medical needs. But for me the pull-up is in line with the parents not being up with them and not mentioning getting them breakfast that morning. I know some people in the comments wanted to normalize that but I don’t think it’s a good look at all to not mention having fed your ill 6 year old and 4 year old and I think good parents make sure there’s an adult up with their young children at least checking in regularly.

 

[Chimera]

It’s not outside the realm of normality (early childhood educator here), boys especially can some times need longer to develop control over their bladder. The fact that he’s known to remove it though, when it’s wet, suggests to me that he was ready to potty train if someone had chosen to focus on it— assuming he didn’t have related medical needs. But for me the pull-up is in line with the parents not being up with them and not mentioning getting them breakfast that morning. I know some people in the comments wanted to normalize that but I don’t think it’s a good look at all to not mention having fed your ill 6 year old and 4 year old and I think good parents make sure there’s an adult up with their young children at least checking in regularly.

Emphasis mine.
Agreed.

And, Welcome to Websleuths !

 

[IzzyBlanche]

I think it's in my post; # 724 ??

Thank you very much!

So Daniel reported it, but Maleyha hasn't mentioned it, am I correct?

 

[TristanP]

May 6 2025

Missing kids in Pictou County: Search still underway

It has been an agonizing five days for the family of Lilly, 6, and Jack Sullivan, 4, who were last seen Friday morning after reportedly wandering from their home in Lansdowne Station. The rural community, located east of Truro, and the rest of the province have been gripped by the story of two...

halifax.citynews.ca

''The children’s stepfather said that he wants the public to keep an eye out for any discarded items in the area, including a pull-up diaper that Jack is likely to have taken off by now. Lily could have dropped the backpack she was carrying as well, and Jack’s boots might slip off.''

So helpful. So very helpful.

 

[abanddb123]

Is it normal for a non biological parent to do all the talking? Honestly curious. Is he the spokesman for the family? Thanks.

 

[middy]

This is an absolutely horrible event. I feel so much much for the family and the searchers who wished to have a positive outcome. There are no words. One thing that I would like to ask/explore is how far the searchers reached. I saw members posting children moving long distances in a relatively short period of time. Specifically Boden who wandered 11km from home. Obviously a different terrain from Nova Scotia. But there is an abandoned railway quite close to the family property that goes virtually nowhere. I am sure the searchers took this into consideration but it makes me think there are too many possible places to search
Toddler wanders 11km from home, survives entire night lost in Arizona wilderness
The railway is roughly 1 km from the property

 

[Chimera]

May 6 2025

Missing kids in Pictou County: Search still underway

It has been an agonizing five days for the family of Lilly, 6, and Jack Sullivan, 4, who were last seen Friday morning after reportedly wandering from their home in Lansdowne Station. The rural community, located east of Truro, and the rest of the province have been gripped by the story of two...

halifax.citynews.ca

''The children’s stepfather said that he wants the public to keep an eye out for any discarded items in the area, including a pull-up diaper that Jack is likely to have taken off by now. Lily could have dropped the backpack she was carrying as well, and Jack’s boots might slip off.''

Might be overthinking it here... but those items seem oddly specific ?
Imo.

 

[katydid23]

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.

From looking at the state of the property, I am not sure they had expensive extras like electric bottles warmers and mini fridges in the bedroom. IMO

 

[thelesis]

<modsnip>

A 16 month old breastfeeding in bed is not hinky. Lots of mothers in Canada breastfeed past that age and do so in various places.

Not all parents with neurodivergent kids keep up with the lingo and educate themselves. And if they're talking with people who aren't well-versed in updated terminology or are flustered (say, giving an interview) they may fall back on generally accepted wording like 'a little autistic'. Rural Nova Scotia is not known for being on the cutting edge of medicine or acceptance movements and not using terms like level 1-3 autism is not proof of neglect or lack of care.

A 4 year old using pullups during the day is not the norm, but a quick Google search indicates that doctors don't consider it something alarming that needs immediate intervention.

There are many cases where people have not been found in rural areas during an initial search and their bodies found later. There are comments in this thread stating it's a fact the kids are not in the rural area around the home but that can't be proven. Andrew Warburton is one that was mentioned in this thread already: The disturbing disappearance and death of Andrew Warburton in Nova Scotia — StrangeOutdoors.com

IMO, the only hinky thing I'm seeing here is ye olde living with a step parent.

 

[IzzyBlanche]

IMO, the only hinky thing I'm seeing here is ye olde living with a step parent.

I'm new to this case as of today, so I'm not sure what you are referring to?

Also I agree with most everything you said in the part I snipped for focus.

 

[MistyWaters]

Thank you.

I became aware of this case only today so I am going only by the the words of the mother that she was drifting in and out of sleep hearing the kids playing in the next room and then it went quiet.

May I ask the source that Lily came into the room several times before her and Jack's disappearance? Wearing her backpack?

The backpack wasn't missing--that is what Daniel says she was wearing.

Okay sorry my misunderstanding, now I get what you’re saying - the ‘missing’ backpack may have been later found in the home, but that’s purely speculation. Neither parent stated it was definitively with Lily.

 

[IzzyBlanche]

It’s not outside the realm of normality (early childhood educator here), boys especially can some times need longer to develop control over their bladder. The fact that he’s known to remove it though, when it’s wet, suggests to me that he was ready to potty train if someone had chosen to focus on it— assuming he didn’t have related medical needs. But for me the pull-up is in line with the parents not being up with them and not mentioning getting them breakfast that morning. I know some people in the comments wanted to normalize that but I don’t think it’s a good look at all to not mention having fed your ill 6 year old and 4 year old and I think good parents make sure there’s an adult up with their young children at least checking in regularly.

I appreciate your insights.

 

[thelesis]

I'm new to this case as of today, so I'm not sure what you are referring to?

Also I agree with most everything you said in the part I snipped for focus.

LIving with a parent's new partner is a commonality for missing kids, it's almost a meme on the forums here. Often someone will snip a line from a news article about it and say 'here we go again'.

This isn't to say correlation equals causation: many missing kids have a step parent, but that doesn't mean a step child is more likely to go missing than one who doesn't have a step parent.

 

[katydid23]

Link is still live, more, interesting.

RCMP say it’s unlikely two children missing in rural Nova Scotia are alive as search efforts are scaled back

Search and rescue teams had been scouring woodland areas after siblings went missing from their home in Pictou County more than six days ago

www.theglobeandmail.com

The stepfather, Daniel Martell, told the Globe that police interviewed him for four hours at the Pictou County RCMP detachment in the town of Stellarton Tuesday night, following a fifth day of scouring the woods for the siblings near their home.

Daniel Martell says police asked him to draw maps and locations where the children could possibly be.

That's kind of odd, to ask for maps of where the kids might be, 4 days after the fact. They didn't ask them that on day one?

Lily and Jack were reported missing around 10 a.m. Friday. Their mother, Malehya Brooks-Murray, and Mr. Martell have said they awoke to a silent home and surmised the kids went out the sliding back door to play and wandered off. They haven’t been seen since.

“My story has been consistent. When you tell the truth it’s always consistent,” said Mr. Martell.

He said police asked him to walk them through step-by-step details of exactly what happened on May 2, the day the children were reported missing, and the previous few days. They asked him to draw maps and locations where the children could possibly be, he added.

I do like that he was asked for a detailed step by step of the day though.

 

[Andreee]

From looking at the state of the property, I am not sure they had expensive extras like electric bottles warmers and mini fridges in the bedroom. IMO

True! Just speaking in general really.