Four Months On: Questions Deepen in the Disappearance of Lily and Jack Sullivan
Nova Scotia – It has been nearly four months since six-year-old Lily Sullivan and her four-year-old brother Jack vanished from their home in Lanstown Station, and despite extensive searches and hundreds of tips, the mystery remains unsolved.
In a statement released on August 15, the RCMP confirmed that “intensive investigative work is ongoing in relation to the disappearance of Lily and Jack Sullivan, and tips continue to be received.” Officials say more than 700 tips have been logged and are being prioritized by the Northeast Nova Major Crimes Unit with the assistance of agencies from across Canada.
Timeline and Conflicting Accounts
The children were reported missing on the morning of May 2, 2024. According to dispatch records, they were last seen around 8 a.m. Accounts from their mother, Malayah Brooks Murray, and stepfather, Daniel Martel, however, have been inconsistent.
Murray told investigators she marked the children absent from school shortly after 6 a.m. and later claimed she did not hear them in the home. At 9:40 a.m., she reportedly asked Martel whether he could hear the children. Just 20 minutes later, she dialed 911.
Martel initially claimed to have seen Lily moving in and out of the bedroom that morning but later retracted the statement, saying he was asleep.
Intense Search Efforts
Following the 911 call, search-and-rescue teams, drones, helicopters, and police dogs combed the woods and swamps surrounding the family’s home. Investigators even checked the camper van where Martel’s mother lives and searched items ranging from brush piles to a backyard dryer.
A crucial moment came when a torn piece of a pink blanket—later identified as belonging to Lily—was found tangled in a tree along Lanstown Road, nearly a kilometer from the home. While Murray identified it as Lily’s, Martel initially denied it before changing his account.
Family Tensions and Troubling Allegations
The days following the children’s disappearance exposed deep fractures within the family. On May 3, arguments between Murray’s relatives and Martel escalated, with accusations that he may have been involved. That same day, Murray abruptly left the search headquarters with her mother and youngest child, blocking Martel from contacting her afterward.
Concerns about the children’s welfare had already been flagged prior to their disappearance. School staff had reported that Jack arrived with black eyes on multiple occasions, while Martel admitted that Lily had suffered one just days before she vanished, allegedly from a toy accident. Educators also noted the children often came to school hungry, unwashed, and without proper winter clothing, prompting child protection services to investigate.
Murray had confided to relatives that Martel was controlling and abusive, claims Martel has not publicly addressed. He has since withdrawn from speaking openly about the case.
Unanswered Questions
The RCMP have secured multiple search warrants, seized electronic devices, and conducted polygraph tests. Forensic testing—including analysis of Lily’s blanket—remains pending.
Meanwhile, community members and relatives continue to demand answers. A neighbor reported hearing a manual-transmission vehicle coming and going from the property between midnight and 5 a.m. on May 2, adding another layer of mystery.
Lily and Jack’s paternal grandmother, Belinda Gray, has voiced her deep concern about Murray’s decision to leave Lanstown so soon after the children disappeared. “If she could leave,” Gray told reporters, “that meant she knew her kids weren’t coming back.”
Still No Resolution
Nearly four months later, authorities admit the puzzle pieces are not fitting together. What happened inside the family’s trailer that morning remains unclear, and theories range from abduction to foul play.
For now, the RCMP insist the investigation is ongoing. But with time passing and no confirmed sightings, fears for Lily and Jack Sullivan’s safety continue to grow.
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