It has now been 18 days since Jack (6) and Lily Sullivan (4) disappeared without a trace. Despite renewed search efforts over the weekend, police have once again come up empty. No evidence has been found to suggest the children were abducted, but many are now asking: what really happened to them?

Given their young age, many feel that if the siblings had simply wandered off into the woods, they would have been found by now. “A four- and six-year-old can’t walk that far,” one local said. Suspicion of foul play is growing. “In my opinion, all signs point to foul play. Someone out there knows exactly what happened to them.”

Public attention has also turned to the children’s mother, who is reportedly behaving oddly. She recently changed her Facebook relationship status to “single,” deleted all photos of her husband Daniel, and then deactivated the account again.

Meanwhile, Daniel—the children’s stepfather—continues to speak openly with the media. Over the weekend, he expressed gratitude to the search teams braving thick forest and swarms of black flies in the ongoing efforts.

“The main objective from day one has been to bring the kids home,” Daniel said in an interview. Although police maintain there’s no evidence of an abduction, Daniel admitted he has suspected it from the beginning. He doesn’t know whether authorities are seriously investigating that possibility.

To date, police have followed up on nearly 200 tips and have identified 35 individuals for interviews, but no major breakthroughs have been reported.

The intense speculation on social media has been difficult for Daniel. “Everywhere I go, people stare at me. That’s something I’ll have to live with until the truth comes out. And the truth always comes out,” he told reporters.

When asked if he had anything to do with Jack and Lily’s disappearance, Daniel responded firmly. “I 100% did not, and I will hold that until my last day on this planet.”

As Daniel continues to speak out and emphasize the urgency of finding the children, public scrutiny is shifting to the mother. Why has she chosen to remain silent?

Search efforts continue, while the entire province of Nova Scotia holds its breath, hoping for answers—and the safe return of Jack and Lily Sullivan.