A new true-crime documentary titled “The Kids Still Safe And They Hid Them: Lilly & Jack Sullivan Case” has reignited debate over the fate of the two missing siblings from rural Nova Scotia.

The film makes a startling claim: rather than being lost or abducted, Lilly (6) and Jack (4) might be hidden—possibly far from Canada.

The documentary begins by exploring a grim possibility: did someone deliberately take the children? One expert featured says, “I think somebody hurt these kids. I know exactly what happened to the kids. The kids are alive.

The kids are probably not in Nova Scotia now.” The bold claim rests on two core ideas: that the well-equipped RCMP search may have missed a hidden plot and that an isolated First Nations community may be harboring them.

Indeed, from May 2 to May 7, Nova Scotia RCMP mobilized a major operation, including 160 searchers, drones, helicopters, underwater teams, and police dogs scouring 5.5 square kilometers of dense woodland, swamp, and culverts on Gairloch Road.

They collected hundreds of hours of video footage and interviewed 54 people—including administering polygraphs—while receiving around 488 tips. Despite this, no trace of the children was found. By May 7, the search was scaled back amid official statements that, “there is no evidence that the children remain in the vicinity”.

The documentary emphasizes that while all scenarios remain open, the theory of homegrown concealment was never deeply explored. Commentators note that communities on First Nations reserves—described as remote and lacking visible RCMP action—weren’t part of the publicized search efforts.

One local source asserted investigators “barely stepped foot” into a First Nations territory, citing jurisdictional and political hesitation after historical flashpoints such as the 1990 Oka Crisis.

By June, the RCMP seemed to counter these concerns by confirming that over 11 internal units—including Major Crime, Digital Forensic Services, Underwater Recovery, and Behavioral Sciences—were investigating multiple leads. The force also confirmed video footage was reviewed, interviews conducted, and tips processed 24/7.  Investigators even appealed for dash-cam footage from April 28 to May 2 along Gairloch Road to clarify the children’s last known movements .

Official communications have stressed that “all scenarios are being considered” and that the multidisciplinary investigative team is committed to methodically assessing every tip and lead—though no new search areas have yet been.

However, former investigators warn this may not be enough. A retired policing expert argued in national media that the case is now being treated as a criminal investigation—given the lack of evidence for accidental wandering and the narrow search results of advanced teams.

Critics say the documentary raises essential questions: if the children were intentionally hidden—possibly aided by insiders in their first days of disappearance—is it possible they remain alive, shielded from authorities? Or did search teams miss critical evidence? These are not idle theories: the RCMP interviewed dozens of people, deployed forensic specialists, and yet no breakthroughs were announced .

Above all, the heart of the issue lies with the children’s families, who maintain hope, but face mounting frustration over slow investigative progress and limited public disclosure. Some point out that reserves near Lansdowne Station are accessible but seldom spotlighted in appeals—raising suspicion about whether jurisdictional complexity is impeding justice.

The question now emerges: will the RCMP confirm whether reserves were searched, or provide transparency on cross-jurisdictional challenges? Documentary-makers call for an independent review and potential search of targeted areas.

For now, the documentary’s claim—that Lilly and Jack might still be alive and hidden—stands unverified but profoundly unsettling. And for a case already fraught with uncertainty, those are the kinds of possibilities that demand answers.

This documentary reopens the puzzle. It demands that we ask hard questions: What if everything we assume is wrong? What if the search missed the most crucial place of all?

Authorities and citizens alike are watching closely. The story of Lilly and Jack may have taken a shocking new turn—but only time will reveal whether it leads to truth or proves to be another layer of mystery.