As the search for Lily and Jack Sullivan stretches into its third week with no sign of the missing siblings, emotions are running high in the small community of Lansdowne Station, Nova Scotia. Tensions have been further inflamed following public comments from family members that reflect growing despair—and internal divisions—about the fate of the children.

Four-year-old Jack and his six-year-old sister Lily disappeared from their home on Gairloch Road on the morning of Friday, May 2. Their mother, Amanda Sullivan, reported that the children were playing quietly in the living room when she briefly stepped away. When she returned, they were gone. The patio doors at the back of the house were open. Despite extensive search efforts by RCMP, local volunteers, and provincial emergency teams, no trace of the children has been found.

Amidst the uncertainty, the children’s stepfather, Daniel Rourke, has spoken publicly for the first time, stating that he voluntarily took a polygraph test and passed. “I have nothing to hide,” Rourke said in a phone interview with a Halifax radio station on Tuesday. “I took the test to show that I didn’t have anything to do with what happened to those kids. I loved them like they were my own.”

Rourke, 33, has been in a relationship with Amanda Sullivan for the past two years and moved into the family’s home last summer. He was reportedly at work in nearby Antigonish when the children went missing and has not been named a suspect by the RCMP. However, like many close to the case, he has faced intense scrutiny online and in local media.

“The whispers, the looks—it’s like people are looking for someone to blame,” Rourke said. “But blaming each other won’t bring Jack and Lily home. We need to stay focused on finding them.”

The RCMP have not confirmed or commented on whether a polygraph test was administered, as such information is typically withheld to preserve the integrity of ongoing investigations. Sergeant Colin Fraser, the lead investigator, reiterated during a recent press briefing that “everyone close to the family has been interviewed and continues to cooperate.”

Still, speculation has intensified in the absence of hard leads. This week, the children’s maternal grandmother, Janice Bell, gave an emotional interview to a local newspaper in which she expressed a grim outlook. “In my heart, I feel they’re gone,” she said through tears. “I don’t want to believe it, but I can’t pretend anymore. Lily and Jack wouldn’t just vanish into thin air.”

Bell’s candid statement struck a nerve with many in the community, some of whom found it a stark contrast to the hope that has so far characterized public messaging around the search. A neighbor close to the family, speaking anonymously, said, “You can’t blame her. Grief takes people to dark places. But there’s still hope. We’ve seen kids come home after weeks.”

Psychologists familiar with missing children cases emphasize the range of emotional responses families endure under extreme stress. “It’s common for relatives to cycle between hope and despair,” said Dr. Evan McCullough, a trauma specialist. “When a case stretches on with no resolution, emotions intensify, and families can fracture under the pressure.”

Janice Bell, who helped raise Lily during Amanda’s early years of single parenthood, has remained in close contact with investigators. She visits the local command post daily and frequently joins volunteer search groups combing nearby trails and properties. “I just want peace,” she said. “If they’re gone, I want to know. And if there’s a chance they’re alive, I want everything done to find them.”

The family’s heartbreak is compounded by the total lack of physical evidence. Despite daily searches, aerial sweeps, and waterway investigations, not a single clue—no footprints, clothing, or items belonging to the children—has emerged. The surrounding area is a mix of dense forest, marshland, and scattered properties, making it both vast and difficult to search thoroughly.

Premier Colton Hayes, who recently announced a $150,000 provincial reward for information leading to the discovery or safe return of the children, acknowledged the mounting public frustration. “We understand the emotional toll this is taking,” Hayes said during a visit to the community command center. “But we will not scale back this search until we have answers.”

RCMP have continued to encourage the public to submit tips, no matter how small. Investigators remain particularly interested in sightings of an unidentified dark SUV reportedly seen near Gairloch Road on the morning of May 2. No license plate or specific make has been confirmed, and no suspects have been publicly named.

For Amanda Sullivan, the children’s mother, the pressure is unrelenting. She has avoided the media since her initial plea for help and is said to be under close support by family and counselors. Friends say she is “barely holding on.”

“She’s living in a nightmare that doesn’t end,” said cousin Danielle Hayes, who has been acting as the family’s spokesperson. “She wakes up every day hoping someone will knock on the door and say, ‘We found them.’ That hope is the only thing that keeps her going.”

The community of Lansdowne Station remains united in its efforts, even as fatigue and sorrow begin to weigh heavily. Daily volunteer briefings continue at the fire hall. Flyers with the children’s faces remain plastered on gas station windows and grocery store walls. Pink and blue ribbons line Gairloch Road, gently fluttering in the wind.

Despite the divisions that are beginning to surface in public statements, there is one thing that unites everyone: the need for answers. Whether holding on to hope or preparing for the worst, the people of Pictou County remain determined not to let Lily and Jack’s disappearance fade into silence.

As Sgt. Fraser stated once more during a quiet moment after a media briefing: “These children didn’t just vanish. Someone knows something. And we will find out what happened.”

Anyone with information is urged to contact the RCMP or submit tips anonymously via Crime Stoppers. The $150,000 reward remains active. Authorities say no lead is too small.