The quiet, wooded communities of Pictou County, Nova Scotia, have been transformed into the epicenter of a desperate and ongoing search for two missing siblings, Jack and Lilly Sullivan. The children, aged 4 and 6, were last seen on the morning of May 2, 2025, near their rural home on Gairloch Road in Landsdowne Station. Since then, an around-the-clock search effort has unfolded, uniting law enforcement, search and rescue crews, and a community refusing to give up hope.

The children were reported missing shortly after 10:30 a.m. when their mother, Sarah Sullivan, noticed they were no longer in the front yard where they had been playing. She had briefly stepped inside to answer a phone call and returned to find only their toys on the grass and the yard gate ajar. Initial efforts to locate them by calling their names and walking the perimeter of the property quickly escalated into panic, followed by a call to 911 that mobilized the RCMP and local emergency services.

Within hours, a search radius was established, and volunteers from the surrounding towns joined trained ground crews in combing nearby woods, trails, and ditches. Drones were deployed to scan the thick forest canopy, while canine units tracked what appeared to be small footprints leading northward into a patch of dense underbrush. Searchers found a red fleece jacket identified as Lilly’s and later recovered a juice box and a pink sock near a shallow stream, all believed to belong to the children.

Despite the discovery of personal items, the children have not been found. RCMP officials continue to classify the situation as a missing persons case involving “vulnerable individuals,” citing their young ages and the potential hazards of the forested terrain. Temperatures at night have dropped close to freezing in recent days, further intensifying concerns about the children’s welfare.

As the search enters its fourth week, the resolve of those involved has not waned. Dozens of search and rescue personnel remain in the field daily, with grid patterns expanding outward from each recovered item. The operation now covers more than 25 square kilometers, including rugged terrain, creeks, and abandoned structures.

Investigators are also pursuing the possibility that the children may not be alone. Several witnesses have reported seeing an unfamiliar white pickup truck in the area around the time the children disappeared. Although no definitive link has been established, the RCMP has asked for public assistance in identifying the vehicle or its driver. Surveillance footage from a nearby farm showed a vehicle matching the description passing by Gairloch Road shortly before 10:00 a.m., though the license plate was not visible.

The Sullivan family remains at the center of the effort. Sarah and Mike Sullivan have spoken to the media multiple times, each appearance marked by visible exhaustion but unshaken determination. “Every second counts,” Mike said during a press conference. “We don’t care what happened. We just want them back.”

The community has rallied in extraordinary ways. Food and supply stations have been set up to support search teams, and local businesses have donated equipment, meals, and printing services to produce thousands of missing person flyers. Vigils are held weekly, and blue and yellow ribbons — representing Jack and Lilly’s favorite colors — decorate fences, streetlights, and storefronts across Pictou County.

The RCMP has stressed that the search remains active and multi-faceted. Investigators are now working with national and international child protection agencies, as well as behavioral specialists and missing persons experts. Cell tower data, online activity, and tip line submissions are being reviewed continuously for new leads.

In recent days, specialized tracking dogs from Ontario have been brought in to re-scan high-probability areas, especially those complicated by water or steep terrain. New drone footage is being analyzed frame-by-frame for evidence of disturbed ground, patterns in vegetation, or signs of movement.

Despite the intensive ground search, no confirmed sightings of the children have been made since the morning they vanished. Officials acknowledge that this increases the likelihood of outside involvement, though they have yet to announce any suspects or detain any individuals in connection with the case.

The children’s profiles have now been added to multiple missing persons databases, including the RCMP’s National Centre for Missing Persons and Unidentified Remains and INTERPOL’s Yellow Notices. Posters bearing their photos have appeared in neighboring provinces, along with highway alerts requesting drivers to report any information about the children or suspicious vehicles seen near rural access points.

Lilly is described as having bright red hair, freckles, and a slim build. She was last seen wearing a red fleece jacket, jeans, and pink sneakers. Jack is blonde with curly hair, blue eyes, and a quiet demeanor. He was dressed in a green hoodie, navy joggers, and rain boots on the morning he disappeared.

The Sullivan family has continued to make personal appeals. In a recent television interview, Sarah looked directly into the camera and said, “To whoever may have seen them — or has them — please bring them home. We won’t ask why. We just want our children safe. Let them come home.”

As time passes, the case has attracted national attention. Politicians, child safety advocates, and media personalities have used their platforms to highlight the urgency of the situation. A reward fund created by local leaders has grown to more than $40,000, offered for any information that leads to the safe recovery of the children.

Support for the family continues to pour in. Donations of supplies, letters from across the country, and messages of solidarity now line the walls of the search coordination center. Volunteers, some from out of province, have traveled to help canvass the area, post flyers, and provide logistical support to search teams.

The search continues not only with boots on the ground but with data specialists, behavioral analysts, and community advocates working in tandem. Every possible path is being pursued — every creek bed walked, every camera feed reviewed, every story heard. The effort remains one of determination and hope, held together by the belief that Jack and Lilly Sullivan can still be found.

Officials urge anyone who was in or around the Gairloch Road or Landsdowne Station area on the morning of May 2, or anyone with a dashboard camera who passed through the region between 9:00 and 11:00 a.m., to contact the RCMP tip line at 1-800-555-1122. No piece of information is too small, and time, they say, remains a critical factor.

Until there are answers, the search continues — through forest trails, across airwaves, and within the hearts of a community unwilling to give up on its missing children.