It’s the update no one saw coming, and one that has reignited both hope and concern across Nova Scotia. After 25 long days of mystery surrounding the disappearance of siblings Jack and Lilly Sullivan, aged 12 and 10 respectively, a breakthrough has emerged—not from eyewitnesses, search parties, or drones—but from a digital trail hidden in plain sight. Investigators have confirmed that GPS data from a family member’s mobile phone may have held the vital clues all along.

On Thursday evening, RCMP officials revealed during a press conference that location data tied to the children’s mother’s mobile device had registered a series of unexpected pings during the first 48 hours after the children were reported missing. These pings, previously dismissed as unrelated or inaccurate, have now led search teams to a new, remote area approximately 30 kilometers from the Sullivan family home in the Annapolis Valley.

“We revisited digital forensics on all devices after exhausting physical leads,” said Inspector Mark Hennessy. “What we found was a trail—sporadic but consistent—suggesting movement in a heavily wooded and previously unsearched region. This could be the break we needed.”

Authorities have not disclosed whether the children had access to the phone in question, but sources close to the investigation suggest the GPS data may indicate either that the children took the device with them or that someone in possession of the device was in close proximity to them during the initial stages of the disappearance. Surveillance teams and search units were immediately dispatched to the new location overnight, and a temporary command center has since been established nearby.

The Sullivan family has responded to the news with a mixture of cautious optimism and renewed anxiety. In a heartfelt message shared on social media, their father wrote, “We’re overwhelmed by this development. We don’t know what it means yet, but we are praying this is the lead that brings Jack and Lilly home.”

The GPS data reportedly pinpoints several stops along a rugged, forested path used mainly by hikers and seasonal hunters. Significantly, one of these locations is near an old, abandoned ranger station—long out of use and barely accessible by vehicle. Search-and-rescue dogs have been deployed to canvas the area, and drones equipped with thermal imaging are now conducting aerial sweeps.

Experts are calling the discovery both promising and perplexing. “GPS metadata, especially when tied to timestamps, can often reveal movement patterns even when there is no active signal or communication,” said forensic analyst Marla D’Angelo. “It’s surprising this wasn’t fully explored earlier, but it may be due to technical limitations or delays in accessing the data.”

That fact has led to criticism from some community members and digital privacy advocates who question why the GPS information wasn’t utilized sooner. Authorities have defended their approach, citing privacy protocols and the need for a formal warrant before extracting data from certain devices.

Despite the long wait, this revelation has injected new energy into the search efforts and restored hope to a community that had begun to fear the worst. “It feels like we’re back on track,” said one volunteer searcher. “It’s like someone turned on a light.”

While authorities still maintain that there is no evidence of abduction, this new development complicates the narrative further. If the children left voluntarily, how did they survive for 25 days in the wild? If they were aided, who provided the resources and shelter? And if they were alone, why choose such a remote and challenging route?

RCMP officials have not ruled out the possibility that the children are hiding—whether intentionally or out of fear—and have issued another direct message to Jack and Lilly: “If you can hear this or see this, please know you’re not in trouble. We just want to make sure you’re safe. You are loved. You are missed.”

Meanwhile, Jack and Lilly’s school has canceled end-of-year events in solidarity with the family, choosing instead to focus on awareness, emotional support, and renewed volunteer recruitment for the search effort. A candlelight vigil is scheduled for the weekend, and many in the community plan to wear blue and yellow—the children’s favorite colors—as a symbol of unity and hope.

This latest twist in the case has also caught national attention, with media outlets across Canada and the United States picking up the story. The pressure on authorities is now greater than ever to deliver answers.

Digital security firms have stepped forward to offer additional resources, including real-time tracking systems and analytics to parse any remaining location history. Some are urging the RCMP to release anonymized movement data to trusted third parties for expedited analysis.

The possibility remains that the children are still moving—or that they were at the GPS-marked locations days or even weeks ago. “Time is critical,” reiterated Inspector Hennessy. “We are treating every hour as urgent.”

In the emotional whirlwind of this update, one truth stands firm: something shifted. The invisible breadcrumbs of GPS data may finally be guiding the searchers toward what the human eye could not find. Whether Jack and Lilly are found in the next day or the next week, it’s clear now that the story is not over.

For now, Nova Scotia waits—watching, hoping, and praying that a signal, a footprint, or a whisper in the trees will soon bring the children back home.