The morning of May 2, 2025, started quietly for the Sullivan family in the rural landscape of Pictou County, Nova Scotia. Nestled along Gairloch Road in the small settlement of Landsdowne Station, the family home is surrounded by thick woods, rolling hills, and gravel backroads — the kind of place where time seems to move slower. But at approximately 10:00 a.m. that morning, a series of events would trigger one of the most urgent missing child alerts in recent local history.

Four-year-old Jack Sullivan and his six-year-old sister, Lilly, were last seen playing outside their family’s property, not far from the edge of the forest that borders their backyard. According to their mother, Sarah Sullivan, she stepped into the house briefly to answer a phone call and retrieve sunscreen for the kids. When she returned just moments later, both children were gone. What followed was a frantic search that has since spiraled into a massive community and police-led operation spanning days, dozens of kilometers, and countless unanswered questions.

The children were described by authorities as “vulnerable” due to their ages, limited understanding of danger, and lack of familiarity with the dense woodland terrain that surrounds their home. The RCMP quickly issued a vulnerable persons alert that same afternoon and began coordinating with Pictou County Ground Search and Rescue, canine units, air support, and thermal imaging drones.

Searchers found small footprints about 300 meters into the woods leading from the Sullivan property, believed to belong to Jack. Nearby, under a patch of pine trees, volunteers discovered a juice box and a child’s mitten. These clues helped narrow the immediate search radius to a wooded zone approximately 1.5 kilometers wide, with steep hills and cold streams that have complicated tracking efforts.

Lilly’s red fleece jacket — the one she was reportedly wearing that morning — was found two days later tangled in brambles about two kilometers from the house. Its discovery prompted a reorganization of search teams to focus on the northeast quadrant of the woods, where terrain becomes more difficult to traverse. Despite these findings, the children themselves remained elusive.

A community of fewer than 300 residents quickly mobilized. Locals, some on ATVs and horses, joined official search efforts, scouring fields, ravines, old hunting trails, and abandoned cabins. Search dogs picked up faint scents, but cold overnight temperatures and intermittent rain have repeatedly hampered progress.

Sarah and Mike Sullivan, the children’s parents, have appeared at several press briefings. Both exhausted and visibly shaken, they continue to appeal to the public for help and vigilance. “We are begging anyone who might have seen anything at all — a car, a figure, movement in the woods — to please speak up,” said Mike. “They’re just kids. They’re scared. They need to be home.”

While initial theories pointed to the children wandering off and becoming lost in the woods, investigators are not ruling out other possibilities, including abduction or an accident involving a third party. Several neighbors along Gairloch Road reported seeing an unfamiliar white pickup truck lingering near a private logging access road around 9:45 a.m. the morning of the disappearance. The RCMP has since asked the owner or driver of that vehicle to come forward, stressing that the individual may not be a suspect but could have seen something important.

Security footage collected from rural homes and farm buildings has been minimal, given the sparse distribution of surveillance equipment in the area. Drones continue to fly over hard-to-reach zones, using heat sensors and high-resolution imaging to detect any sign of movement or disturbance in the brush.

As the days stretch on, hope remains, but urgency grows. The weather has shifted — spring temperatures in the region have been mild by day but dip close to freezing at night. Local doctors have voiced concerns about the children’s risk of hypothermia, especially Jack, who was wearing only a light hoodie when last seen.

RCMP have set up a mobile command unit along Gairloch Road and issued updated maps showing search grids completed and areas still to be canvassed. Volunteers are now required to check in and out of the zone for safety and coordination. The Missing Children Society of Canada has joined the operation, offering digital resources and pushing a national awareness campaign with age-appropriate, clear photos of the siblings.

Meanwhile, social media has exploded with efforts to amplify the search. Hashtags like #FindLillyAndJack and #PictouKidsMissing have trended across Canadian platforms. Tips continue to pour in, though investigators caution that unverified sightings, while appreciated, have so far yielded no confirmed leads. A reward fund, established by local businesses and community members, has raised over $20,000 for anyone with information leading to the safe return of the children.

Family and friends describe Lilly as smart, observant, and fiercely protective of her younger brother. “She’s the type of kid who would hold Jack’s hand and tell him stories to keep him calm,” said her aunt, Megan LeBlanc. “If they’re together, I know she’s doing everything she can to look after him.”

The family’s hope has been bolstered by similar past cases where young children were found alive after several days missing in the woods. RCMP search leads have emphasized that the dense forest canopy can often delay aerial detection and obscure visibility from ground level. “We are not giving up,” said Sgt. David Flynn during a recent press update. “As long as there’s a chance they are out there, we will keep going.”

On the eighth day of the search, a child’s sock — pink with a unicorn print — was discovered wedged in the roots of a fallen tree near a marshy clearing. It matched a pair known to belong to Lilly. The area was immediately sealed off, and fresh search teams brought in. Yet again, no further physical evidence was found nearby.

Despite these setbacks, the Sullivan family remains hopeful. “We believe they’re still alive,” Sarah told reporters. “We believe someone out there knows something, saw something, or can help us bring them home. Please — just help us. That’s all we ask.”

As of today, Jack and Lilly remain missing, but the search continues — on foot, in the air, online, and in the hearts of everyone touched by their story. The RCMP urges the public to report any tips, no matter how small, to their dedicated tip line at 1-800-555-1122. The family and community are holding onto one simple, unwavering truth: Jack and Lilly deserve to come home.