Nova Scotia RCMP Say More Than 600 Tips Received in Missing Siblings Case

Nova Scotia RCMP say they have reviewed about 5,000 videos and received 600 tips in the search for two missing children in the province that has gone on for more than two months.

Lilly Sullivan, 6, and Jack Sullivan, 4, were reported missing on May 2 from their home on Gairloch Road in Lansdowne Station, about 140 kilometres northeast of Halifax.

Police conducted searches for the children, but scaled back on May 7. Ground and air searches were resumed 10 days later, with RCMP saying they were going to focus on specific areas rather than a wider search.

RCMP said they have received more than 600 tips from the public, and forensic teams are examining items found in the searches, including a pink blanket found on Lansdowne Road.

RCMP confirmed the blanket was identified by the family as belonging to the children.

The family has reportedly said they believe the children wandered away from their home, which is in a heavily wooded area.

About 60 people have been formally interviewed by police, RCMP said, and some have submitted to a polygraph test.

Nova Scotia RCMP’s major crimes unit is leading the investigation, assisted by other RCMP units in the province, New Brunswick, and Ontario, along with the National Centre of Missing Persons, Canadian Centre for Child Protection, and provincial and municipal police agencies from Nova Scotia and other parts of Canada.

RCMP have received warrants to seize and examine materials and devices they believe could uncover important information for the investigation.

“Right now, there are more than 800 tasks associated to this investigation,” says Staff Sgt. Rob McCamon, the acting officer in charge. 

“A tremendous amount of careful, deliberate investigative work is underway by people here at home and in other parts of Canada; our collective efforts will continue every day until we determine with certainty the circumstances surrounding Lilly and Jack’s disappearance.”

The government of Nova Scotia has offered a cash reward of up to $150,000 for information in the disappearance of the two young siblings.

The case has been added to Nova Scotia’s Rewards for Major Unsolved Crimes Program. Anyone with information about the disappearance of Lilly and Jack has been asked to call 1-888-710-9090.

After the children were first reported missing, more than 100 volunteers helped to search 5.5 square kilometres of densely wooded area.

RCMP said they used tracking dogs, aerial drones, and helicopter crews in the search, looking around the property, including in outbuildings, nearby septic systems, wells, mineshafts, and culverts.

Underwater recovery teams have also searched bodies of water around Lansdowne Station but did not find any evidence to help the investigation, according to police.

Lilly has been described as four feet tall, about 60 pounds, with light brown hair and hazel eyes. She was believed to have been wearing a pink Barbie top and pink rubber boots with rainbow print, and carrying a cream-coloured backpack with strawberry print.

Jack has been described as three feet, six inches tall, weighing about 40 pounds with dark blonde hair and hazel eyes. He was believed to have been wearing a pull-up diaper, black Under Armour jogging pants, and blue rubber boots with dinosaur print.