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Globe and Mail
a day ago
- Globe and Mail
Grandmother of Jack and Lilly Sullivan calls for public inquiry into children's disappearance
The grandmother of Jack and Lilly Sullivan, two Nova Scotia children who have been missing since May, is calling for a public inquiry into their disappearance. Belynda Gray, the children's paternal grandmother, says the child protection service needs to lift the veil of secrecy around how the provincial government responded to concerns about the home life of Jack, 4, and Lilly, 6. She also says the RCMP need to explain how they handled the early stages of their investigation. Ms. Gray, who had limited contact with the children after their mother split up with her son, is concerned that there may have been warning signs that were overlooked before they went missing. The Globe and Mail has previously reported that a child protection worker visited the children's home in Lansdowne, N.S., in the months before their disappearance, after concerns were raised by someone at their school, but the findings of that investigation are shielded by privacy laws. 'I think the public has a right to know,' Ms. Gray said in an interview. 'Just what did CPS do? What part were they investigating? What were their concerns and what were they doing? They might even have answers for the investigation on what happened to them or why it might've happened to them.' The children's stepfather, Daniel Martell, told The Globe in interviews in May that the child protection worker's visit was sparked by concerns about their learning disabilities, not their well-being. Last week, The Globe published a story in which Mr. Martell said a bruise on Jack's face seen in a widely circulated photo was caused by his sister. He did not respond to questions about another photo of Jack with a black eye on a class trip dated Dec. 13, 2024, that was posted on his elementary school's Facebook page. The children's mother, Malehya Brooks-Murray, split from Mr. Martell soon after the kids' disappearance and has declined to comment. Months after Nova Scotia children vanished, a clearer picture emerges of their lives before their disappearance The RCMP have acknowledged investigations like this take a long time and can be difficult for families seeking answers, and said they have committed significant resources to solving the case. The Mounties have consistently said they have not uncovered any evidence the children were abducted, and stand by a decision not to issue an Amber Alert when the children first went missing. Staff Sergeant Rob McCamon from the RCMP's Major Crime and Behavioural Sciences unit said the investigation remains 'very active and intensive,' and any information that could help police is being 'meticulously scrutinized, prioritized and actioned to ensure nothing is missed.' 'We are continuing to engage every resource available to help locate Lilly and Jack and determine the circumstances of their disappearance,' he said. Documents released to The Globe through a freedom of information request show that on May 2, the same day the children were reported missing, a manager in Nova Scotia's child protection department wrote an internal memo about the kids for senior government bureaucrats. That document was shared all the way up to the deputy minister for community services, Craig Beaton, the records show. More than two weeks later, on May 20, the same manager produced another, longer memo about the children that was also shared with her bosses. The contents of those memos are entirely redacted for privacy reasons. Scott Armstrong, the minister responsible for child protection in Nova Scotia, said he's reviewed the children's file, but that it would be inappropriate for the department to comment on a continuing police investigation. 'This situation continues to weigh heavily on the minds of all Nova Scotians – particularly those in Pictou County – and we are all looking forward to a resolution for this family and community,' Carley Smith, a spokesperson in his office, said in an e-mail. Missing Nova Scotia children were assessed by child welfare agency months before disappearance Mr. Armstrong has acknowledged there are shortcomings in Nova Scotia's child protection system. In July, he hosted a meeting of other Atlantic region ministers and addressed challenges around recruiting social workers into the child protection system, particularly in rural areas. He also previously told The Globe he's committed to creating an office of a child and youth advocate, which would act as a watchdog on the child welfare system and be a voice for children and youth, and taking steps to reduce the workload of child welfare employees. Ms. Smith said that 'the issue of attracting and retaining social workers is not unique to Nova Scotia,' adding the province has increased wages for child protection social workers and hired more administrative staff to ease demands on the system. Ms. Gray, the grandmother, says political commitments for change alone are not good enough. She called for more transparency in how the child welfare system dealt with her grandkids, including what prompted someone at their school to contact child protection services in the first place. 'I'd like to know what the school has stated. Was it just some bruises they saw on Jack? Are there other things? Is there anything concerning Lilly? I would like to know,' Ms. Gray said. Ms. Gray is among those who are frustrated it took the Mounties weeks to follow up on some tips and arrange formal interviews with people who knew the children. Jack and Lilly's maternal grandfather, Henry Brooks, said in late May the RCMP had yet to reach out to him for an interview. Mr. Brooks says he also has questions about what was happening inside the children's home, and that his daughter had been trying to leave Mr. Martell for months before the kids disappeared. Like others, he just wants to know what happened. 'It's been eating me up. I'm wondering where the hell they are,' he said. 'I hope we get some answers soon.'
Globe and Mail
4 days ago
- Globe and Mail
A picture emerges of missing children's lives, but not their fate
In Depth Months later, there are still few answers about what happened to Jack and Lilly Sullivan of Nova Scotia, but trauma and stigma have left their families and community farther apart Lindsay Jones and Greg Mercer The Globe and Mail At her home in Middle Musquodoboit, N.S., Lilly and Jack Sullivan's paternal grandmother, Belynda Gray, keeps a photo of their first day of school in September, 2024. The children were reported missing to police on the morning of May 2. Darren Calabrese/The Globe and Mail to view this content.
Daily Mail
20-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Missing Nova Scotia siblings' grandmother reveals family secrets as mom stays silent
Six weeks after the mysterious disappearance of two young children, their Nova Scotia grandmother believes that her 'babies are gone.' Lilly and Jack Sullivan vanished from their Lansdowne Station trailer home, located 88 miles from Halifax, on the morning of May 2, prompting an extensive search in the surrounding area, including the dense woods near their home. The siblings were last seen with family members in public on May 1, according to the National Post. Since the children went missing, authorities have received nearly 500 tips related to the case. Belynda Gray, their paternal grandmother, has since shared her heartbreak in an interview with CBC News, revealing secrets of her fraught relationship with the children's mother. Gray's son, Cody Sullivan, is the biological father of six-year-old Lilly and four-year-old Jack. Gray explained that Cody and the children's mother, Malehya Brooks-Murray, had been in a relationship for about three years before the children's mother decided to end it, citing 'relationship problems.' She claims they were already in little to no contact and was unable to see them for two years after her son and ex daughter-in-law broke up. Now she fears she will never see six-year-old Lilly or four-year-old Jack again. 'My heart tells me these babies are gone,' she told CBC. 'I just want them back. These are everybody's grandchildren. They're not just mine now. It does seem like the whole world cares.' While the investigation continues, the children's mother has stopped speaking publicly, citing police advice not to no longer engage with the media. Following Brooks-Murray's estrangement from the children's biological father, she sought sole custody of the children. Her decision prompted Cody to withdraw from the situation entirely, Gray said. 'When she did that, he said that he was done. He just didn't want any part of it,' Gray told CBC, adding that Brooks-Murray had also confided in her that she 'wasn't happy.' Despite the strained relationship between the parents, the devoted grandmother maintained a strong bond with Brooks-Murray at first. She said the children would often visit her whenever she asked. However, that changed when Brooks-Murray moved in with her new boyfriend, Daniel Martell, who shares a young daughter with Brooks-Murray. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has conducted thorough searches of the home, surrounding grounds, outbuildings, septic systems, wells, mineshafts, and culverts, according to police. Gray and her son Cody have both been questioned by police, as part of a broader investigation that has formally interviewed 54 people, some of whom were subjected to polygraph tests. Martell, the children's stepfather, also underwent a polygraph test and spoke to CBC News about the ordeal. He revealed that police had directly asked him whether he was responsible for the children's deaths, adding that he felt 'extremely nervous.' Martell said he had volunteered to take the test and had even encouraged authorities to search his property early in the investigation. An officer later informed him that he passed the polygraph test, he told the Canadian news outlet. Martell also hinted that there was 'more evidence than what the public knows,' but said he was not allowed to provide further details. He also confirmed that Lilly's blanket had been found on the first day of the search, although this information had not yet been released by police. The blanket was reportedly discovered near a child-sized boot print in the pipeline area. Authorities remain dedicated to uncovering the truth behind Lilly and Jack's disappearance. Sandy Matharu, the lead investigator from the Northeast Nova RCMP Major Crime Unit, emphasized the careful and thorough approach being taken. 'We're accessing, evaluating, and analyzing a significant volume of information from a variety of sources. We have a very coordinated and deliberate approach to make certain all information is meticulously scrutinized, prioritized, and actioned to ensure nothing is missed,' Matharu said. 'We're committed to doing what is necessary to locate Lilly and Jack and advance the investigation, which may take longer than we all hoped.' Brooks-Murray and Martell believe the kids went out a sliding back door of the family's home while they fed their baby. Police are reportedly working on the assumption that the children, who are both autistic, wandered off, but their stepdad said he feared they may have been abducted. Brooks-Murray explained that she and Martell thought the children were playing, and they snuck away the short time the couple were occupied. 'We always make sure that we're out there with them, watching them, and they happen to just get out that sliding door, and we can't hear it when it opens,' she said. 'They were outside playing, but we weren't aware of it at the time, and the next thing we knew it was quiet. 'We get up and look outside. We're looking everywhere, yelling for them, and I instantly just called 911. I just had the instinct I needed to call.' Brooks-Murray said her children may have mild autism but were friendly, contrary to rumors online claiming they were non-verbal. 'They're both really happy-go-lucky children. They're so sweet. They talk to anyone. They'll talk your ear off. They will speak to anyone in a store, everyone. They're just extremely sweet kids,' she said. The distraught mother questioned why an Amber Alert wasn't issued, but police said there was no reason to believe they were abducted. Martell told CBC News that he was frightened the children were taken by a stranger. A reward of up to $150,000 (Canadian funds) is being offered by the Nova Scotia Department of Justice to anyone with information about the disappearance of Lilly and Jack.
National Post
19-06-2025
- National Post
Missing N.S. kids: Reward of up to $150,000 being offered to anyone with information
Article content A reward of up to $150,000 is being offered by the Nova Scotia Department of Justice to anyone with information about the disappearance of Lilly and Jack Sullivan. Article content It has been 'felt across the province and beyond, and my heart goes out to the family, the community and everyone who has been working to find these children since day one,' said Attorney General and Minister of Justice Becky Druhan in a news release on Thursday. Article content Article content The reward is payable in Canadian funds and will be apportioned as deemed just by Druhan as the minister of justice. Law enforcement and correctional agency employees are not eligible for the reward. Article content Article content On the morning of May 2, Lilly and Jack disappeared from their Lansdowne Station home in rural Nova Scotia. There have been extensive ongoing searches in the area, especially in the thick woods near the property where they lived. As of mid-June, police said they had received 488 tips in the case. According to authorities, the siblings were last seen with family in public on May 1. Article content In an interview published on Wednesday, the children's paternal grandmother opened up about what happened. Article content Belynda Gray, who spoke to CBC News, said she hasn't seen six-year-old Lilly or four-year-old Jack in almost two years. Article content Gray's son, Cody Sullivan, is the biological father of the two children. He was in a relationship with the children's mother, Malehya Brooks-Murray, for about three years, Gray said. When Brooks-Murray decided to end the relationship, she petitioned the court for sole custody, Gray told CBC. Article content Article content 'When she did that, he said that he was done. He just didn't want no part of it,' said Gray, who also said that Brooks-Murray told her they were 'having problems and she wasn't happy.' Article content Article content The relationship between Gray and Brooks-Murray, however, remained intact. Gray said that Brooks-Murray would bring the children to visit whenever Gray asked. But those visits faded when Brooks-Murray moved in with her new boyfriend, the children's stepfather, Daniel Martell. Martell and Brooks-Murray also have an infant daughter together. Article content 'I was in a state of panic, shock, but in the back of my mind I kept saying, 'Well, they'll find them,'' said Gray. Article content She joined the search in Pictou County. She said she called out for the children, even using her nickname for Jack, 'Jackie boy.' However, after several days, police announced they were scaling back the search and would focus on specific areas.
