She Said the Kids Are Gone — Before Anyone Asked | Lilly and Jack Sullivan
a couple of cop cars pull into the driveway
the lights wake me up that I’m a fairly light sleeper
so I see the cars pull in
so I knew what it was so they come inside
they only stood in the kitchen
they wanted me to wake Cody up
and they wanted to know
when was the last time he had seen the kids
and that
they were just making sure that the kids weren’t here
I think somebody hurt these kids
I think somebody hurt them
she’s the grandmother of two missing children
Lily and Jack Sullivan from Nova Scotia
her name is Belinda Gray
and she’s the paternal grandmother
the mother of Cody Sullivan
their biological father
in a recent CBC interview
Belinda sat down to share her perspective
but as she spoke something unexpected happened
she began revealing a series of strange details
and red flags without even realizing it
whether it was nervous phrasing
inconsistencies in her timeline or unexplained facts
her words painted a picture far more complicated
than anyone anticipated so in today’s video
we’re going to walk through that interview clip by clip
and uncover the subtle clues
that may be hiding in plain sight let’s begin
she sat down with CBC to tell her side of the story
but from the very first words
something felt off this is Belinda Gray
the paternal grandmother of Lily and Jack Sullivan
and while she speaks with sorrow
it’s what she says
and sometimes what she doesn’t that raises questions
let’s listen closely my heart tells me these
these babies are gone
my heart tells me that
I am the grandmother of Lily and Jack
I am the grandmother on the biological father’s side
my son is Cody Sullivan he’s not in jail
he’s never been out west
he does not have a criminal record
he’s um
and right now he’s living with me
he has been for 9 months
how did you find out that Lily and Jack were missing
the mom of my grandson called me
we were in town
hmm
she asked if I heard the news
she sent me the um
article that was on Facebook showing the kids missing
I couldn’t call my lady yet
so I waited till we got home
and I called well
I didn’t call her I texted her
and she told me that yes
that the kids were missing
that they’ve been missing since this morning
I was in a state of panic shock
but in the back of mind I kept saying well
they’ll find them I mean
I’m assuming that they’d find them
so I told her well
we’ll head out first thing in the morning
and help with the search
in the very first seconds of her interview
Belinda Gray
utters a sentence that instantly sets the tone
my heart tells me these these babies are gone
it’s not a statement rooted in evidence
but one born of emotion the pause
the repetition
these these babies
it reveals a woman grappling with the weight of a truth
she may already believe or fear to be inevitable
this isn’t forensic reasoning
this is intuition a kind of anticipatory grief
the kind that creeps in
when hope quietly begins to fade
but what follows next is even more revealing
within moments Belinda shifts to defend her son Cody
without anyone asking her to
he’s not in jail he’s never been out west
he doesn’t have a criminal record
no question had been posed about Cody
yet here she is offering an unsolicited alibi
it’s what statement analysts call over explaining
when someone provides detailed information
that wasn’t required
it can be a red flag or a reflection of deep anxiety
either way it suggests Belinda anticipated suspicion
perhaps even feared it and
when she’s asked
how she first found out the kids were missing
her timeline becomes tangled
I called well
I didn’t call her I texted her
a small correction yes
but meaningful in the context of trauma
moments blur but in forensic interviews inconsistencies
however subtle can reveal discomfort
confusion or something else entirely
emotionally Belinda vacillates
I was in a state of panic shock
she says but I kept thinking they’ll find them
that contradiction is worth noting
true panic rarely makes room for rational optimism
it’s as if she’s trying to reconcile two realities
one her heart feels and one she wants to believe
finally her decision to act
we’ll head out first thing in the morning
and help with the search
is an example of restorative action
when faced with helplessness
taking control even in small ways
provides a sense of purpose
Belinda doesn’t just describe emotions
she describes choices to reach out
to search to participate
this is the language of a person
trying to turn powerlessness into motion
individually these moments might seem insignificant
but together they form a pattern
a grandmother
offering calm answers in the face of chaos
a mother defending her son
before anyone points a finger
a narrative
that doesn’t always match the emotion behind it
it doesn’t prove guilt
it doesn’t confirm anything sinister
but it does raise questions
and in cases like this every word matters
it was around 3 between 3 and 3:30 in the morning
a couple of cop cars pull into the driveway
the lights wake me up that I’m a fairly light sleeper
so I see the cars pull in
so I knew what it was so they come inside
they only stood in the kitchen
they wanted me to wake Cody up
and they wanted to know
when was the last time he had seen the kids
and that
they were just making sure that the kids weren’t here
and then they left
so we showed up Saturday morning
me and my sister and we met up with my daughter
and we started well
I asked Malaya
I said Malay
I said you
you know your kids
nobody knows their kids like their mum
where do your kids normally go to play out in the yard
what direction do they usually like to explore
and she said well
they always play up in the little woods
right on the side I said well OK
I said
we’ll start from that point and we’ll work our way out
we had spoken to a search and rescue
and we weren’t allowed on the other side
cause that’s where they were searching at the time
so we just started combing through the woods
up through there we were gone for a couple hours
I’m yelling for Lily and Jack
we we always call Jack Jackie boy
and yeah
that went on for a few hours
but those woods I started to feel that
I can’t see them being in the woods
there’s trees everywhere
you literally have to climb over trees
climb under bushes it is really
really thick Belinda Gray begins this segment
by recalling a pivotal moment
the arrival of police in the early morning hours
her statement I knew what it was
is simple but heavy
it reflects a profound moment of dread
that many loved ones of missing persons
recognize all too well
this wasn’t just a visit from police
it was the embodiment of her growing fear made real
the clarity and immediacy of her reaction
show someone deeply
attuned to the emotional gravity of the situation
even if she had not yet been given any confirmation
her phrasing is not clinical
it is maternal instinctual
and speaks to the helpless awareness
that something is terribly wrong
when Belinda describes what the officers wanted
to question Cody
and to confirm whether the children were at the house
her tone remains grounded in cooperation
she does not display defensiveness or hostility
but rather relays the facts plainly
there is a quiet compliance in
how she describes the interaction
perhaps
a reflection of the shock she was still processing
it’s significant
that she doesn’t linger on whether she felt judged
or targeted instead
she centers the interaction on what was needed
information and clarity
her recollection of the following day’s events
also offers deep insight
into her emotional and psychological state
she describes mobilizing with her sister
to meet her daughter and begin searching
in a compassionate reading
this reflects what trauma experts refer to as
active coping behavior
transforming helplessness into action
her dialogue with Malaya is tender
rooted in a mother to mother understanding
you know your kids nobody knows the kids like their mom
this is not just a strategic question
it’s an acknowledgement of the sacred
intuitive bond between parent and child
one that Belinda honors even as a grandmother
her decision to describe the physical challenge
you have to climb over trees
under bushes is revealing
it is not dramatization
it is an attempt to convey the desperation
and determination that fueled their search
it’s as if she is trying
to help others feel what it was like to be there
to show that they didn’t stop
that they tried
the statement I started to feel that I can’t see them
being in the woods is not just about geography
it reflects a deeper maternal intuition
an inner voice
whispering that the answer may lie elsewhere
even as hope slips through the branches
as the search dragged on and hours slipped by
Belinda returned to check on Malaya
hoping to find comfort
or at least a shared sense of urgency
but what she found instead left her quietly unsettled
Malaya seemed detached expressionless
and while some might write it off as shock
what Belinda noticed next
challenged everything
she thought she knew about the young mother
what she once believed about Malaya
and what she saw inside that home didn’t seem to match
we come back out and I wanted to see Malaya again
I assumed she was in shock
she was very um
very non emotional very
just flat monotone but Malaya’s very soft spoken anyway
that she she’s not usually excitable
um I thought that that’s made her a really great mom
she was an excellent mom she never raised her kid
her voice at the kids that it was always now Lily
what did Mommy say
and I used to think now if anybody’s meant to be a mom
it was her
a part of me still feels that
why only a part of you still feels that
what do you mean
after seeing the place
seeing the condition of the home
it was like the total opposite of what I knew of Malaya
she was always clean very clean about herself
about the kids about her home
this home looked more like a camp
now I don’t know if it’s
from all the people that were there
cause I didn’t show up till the day after
but it was very unkempt I was pretty surprised
in this section of her statement
Belinda Gray reveals a nuanced
emotional perspective
that reflects both deep affection
and a painful shift in perception
her initial observation I assume she was in shock
demonstrates a compassionate interpretation
of Maleah’s flat effect
rather than labeling her as cold or indifferent
Belinda offers space for trauma
recognizing that emotional numbness
can often mask deeper turmoil
her clarification that Maleah is very soft spoken
anyway is not an excuse
but an attempt to understand her daughter in law
within the context of her consistent personality
this shows empathy not suspicion
when Belinda says that made her a really great mom
she is not merely praising Malaya
she’s reaffirming a belief
that has likely comforted her through difficult times
her examples
such as she never raised her voice and the gentle quote
now Lily
what did Mommy say paint a portrait of maternal warmth
but the statement a part of me still feels that
introduces a quiet fracture in Belinda’s certainty
it suggests a cognitive dissonance
the struggle between what she remembers
and what she’s recently witnessed
this fracture becomes clearer when the reporter presses
why only a part of you still feels that
Belinda responds with visible discomfort
after seeing the place it was like
the total opposite of what I knew of Maleahia
her surprise isn’t rooted in judgment
but in disillusionment
she frames her shock in terms of contrast
not just a messy home
but a complete reversal of character
the repetition of very clean
reinforces how deeply tied
cleanliness was to Malachi’s identity
in Belinda’s mind
the description of the house as like a camp
very unkempt signals more than untidiness
it reflects emotional neglect
environmental instability
or a sign that something had unraveled
behind closed doors
taken together these statements show a grandmother
grappling with a painful emotional recalibration
her words carry sorrow not condemnation
the tension in her reflection
between who she believed Malia to be
and what she witnessed highlights
the grief of discovering that someone you love
might have been overwhelmed
in silence
Belinda’s narrative isn’t about blame
it’s about heartbreak
the kind that comes when you realize
the people you trusted
may have been struggling more than you ever knew
at first
Belinda believed they were the perfect little family
Cody Maleah and the kids
but things quietly began to unravel
in a private conversation
Maleah confided that she wasn’t happy
and might walk away what followed wasn’t conflict
it was compassion Belinda didn’t push back
she offered support
but what’s most striking is what came next
despite the separation
Maleah continued bringing Lily and Jack around
until she didn’t because what began as an ideal family
ended in nearly two years of silence
and now a mystery
and so how long were your son and Malia together
three and a/2 years I think it was yeah
I thought they were the picture perfect family
then Malia
started to tell me that they were having problems
and she wasn’t happy she told me that she wasn’t happy
and she thinks she’s gonna leave
and I told her that we supported whatever she decides
that one good parent is way better than two broken ones
and then how did that change your relationship
with Lily and Jack I thought it was going to change
but it didn’t yeah
it didn’t change um
Malaya
she she was a sweetheart
anytime we wanted to see the kids
she’d come by for a visit
she’d bring them by all the time
it was it was actually really
really good
so when was the last time you saw the children
a year and a half almost really
it’s about a year and nine months
when asked how long her son and Maleah were together
Belinda replies
three and a half years I think it was yeah
the slight uncertainty I think it was
is not evasive but rather human time blurs
in the context of grief and retrospection
her follow up I thought they were
The Picture Perfect Family offers a poignant insight
she’s acknowledging the gap between how things appeared
and what was truly unfolding
the phrase picture perfect is idealistic
suggesting that the relationship once symbolized hope
and harmony in her eyes
an image now tainted by hindsight
she then relays Maleah’s confession
she wasn’t happy she thinks she’s going to leave
notably Belinda doesn’t dismiss this
instead she recalls offering support
we supported whatever she decides
that
one good parent is way better than two broken ones
this statement while simple
reflects emotional maturity
and an attempt to prioritize
the well being of the children
over family pride
or loyalty it’s not defensive
it’s maternal
it captures the voice of someone trying to keep peace
amid quiet heartbreak
when asked whether this revelation affected
her relationship with the children
Belinda says I thought it was going to change
but it didn’t
the repetition yeah
it didn’t change suddenly
reinforces that she had braced herself for distance
or exclusion but was met with the opposite
her description of Maleah as a sweetheart
and her recollection that she’d bring them by
all the time
paints a picture of continued affection and access
even post separation
this reinforces the earlier notion
that Belinda viewed Maleahia with tenderness
not resentment
but then comes a soft emotional turn
the question of when she last saw the children
Belinda answers a year and a half almost
really it’s about a year and nine months
there’s a gentle self correction
a very human thing to do
as if she’s trying to be precise
while holding back emotion
that timespan nearly two years
suddenly feels heavy it creates emotional contrast
against her earlier account of frequent visits
without needing to say it directly
this discrepancy
hints at a gradual breakdown in the relationship
perhaps not hostile but undeniably distant
three weeks after Lily and Jack vanished
investigators returned not with answers
but with questions Belinda Gray
their grandmother was formally interviewed
so was her son Cody
what followed wasn’t just routine
it felt personal
in this next part of her interview
Belinda reflects on that experience
with striking composure but also quiet concern
as we listen pay attention to her tone
her word choices
and what they might reveal beneath the surface
were you ever formally questioned
yes so
then
it’s about a month after Lily and Jack are last seen
that they come and formally question you
so it’s about three weeks
they question Cody for an hour and a half
in the vehicle
and then they question me for two hours in the vehicle
how did that feel to you I didn’t mind
I mean to me
I expected I’m
I’m the grandmother so it wasn’t a surprise to me
I’m assuming the sooner they do all that
I wish they would have done it sooner
that the sooner they can move on
so I didn’t have a problem
my son was was a little upset
about it
he said they made him feel like he did something wrong
and he said he hadn’t seen the kids in three years
so he was uh
he was a little upset about it
that he said that they really come at him hard
they wanted to know what her favorite color was
and he said they were babies when I seen them last
he said she was just learning what
she wanted to figure out to eat
I don’t know what her color is

so yeah
he was pretty upset
have they ever talked to him again since then
a couple of days ago
they had contact and they told him that
that they weren’t looking his way anymore
that everything’s fine
and have they ever given you any information
no it’s always the same thing
which is what they’ve got everybody on it
they are looking at all avenues
they can’t divulge any information
that could compromise their investigation
it’s it’s the exact same words
why are you so sure they’re not in the woods
I have children I have grandchildren
and I see what kids are like through the woods
there’s no reason for any child to wander
deep into the woods there’s just not
I think somebody hurt these kids
I think somebody hurt them
you don’t sound very hopeful
no
um our last day searching on Monday
and seeing the woods
and seeing the searchers and everybody everywhere
there’s no way those kids are in the woods
there is nothing more pure and innocent than a 6
and a four year old
and they deserve so much better than what they got
when asked about being formally questioned
her response is measured I didn’t mind
I expected it
this reveals a readiness to cooperate and more deeply
a form of emotional preparedness
rather than expressing outrage
or indignation at being questioned
she interprets it as a natural consequence of her role
as the grandmother
showing a kind of emotional resignation
that may come from understanding
how suspicion operates in tragic investigations
her desire for investigators to have acted sooner
I wish they would have done it sooner
doesn’t come across as accusatory but rather pragmatic
it reflects someone who wants closure
who wants momentum and who perhaps
hopes that quicker questioning
might have helped unravel answers faster
yet as she speaks
we also hear a protective shift when discussing her son
Cody while she remains calm
she mentions how the police really came at him hard
and that he felt like he did something wrong
it’s here that maternal instinct suddenly resurfaces
not as overt defense
but as concern over his emotional well being
her repetition of
he hadn’t seen the kids in three years
serves almost as a spoken alibi
an echo of her earlier impulse to explain
before being asked
when asked if the police ever gave her updates
her answer is laced with weary repetition
it’s always the same thing
they can’t divulge any information
the tone here suggests emotional fatigue
not frustration but a kind of sorrowful acceptance
that transparency will not come easily
it is the voice of someone

who is left on the outside of the investigation
still grieving but no longer expecting clarity
perhaps the most poignant turn comes when she is asked
why she believes the children aren’t in the woods
her reply there’s no reason
for any child to wander deep into the woods
is grounded not in forensic data
but in lived experience as a mother and grandmother
it’s an instinctual statement
fueled by her understanding of childhood behavior
and then she says it twice
I think somebody hurt these kids
the repetition here is striking
it’s not a slip but an emotional anchor
it’s as if saying it again gives it weight
or perhaps forces her to confront it
when the interviewer comments on her lack of hope
Belinda doesn’t deny it
she affirms it with a quiet certainty
her conclusion that a six and four year old
are the very definition of purity and innocence
is perhaps the most emotionally transparent moment
in the entire exchange it’s not just a lament
it’s a moral statement a final plea for justice
and recognition
that something irreparably wrong has been done
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