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CBC
a day ago
- General
- CBC
Exhaustion sets in as search for N.S. kids hits one-month mark
A month into the search for two missing Pictou County children, searchers are beginning to wear out mentally and physically. Lilly Sullivan, 6, and Jack Sullivan, 4, were reported missing from their rural Lansdowne Station, N.S., home on May 2. About 80 searchers were out again on Sunday. They focused on a pipeline trail where a boot print was found during an earlier search. Amy Hansen of Colchester Ground Search and Rescue, who is this weekend's search co-ordinator, said there were no new finds over the weekend. It's never been established that the boot print is related to the missing kids, but Hansen said earlier this weekend it was all the searchers had to go on. She said morale was fairly good among those who turned out this weekend, but she conceded it has been hard on others. There have been two weekends of searching on top of the initial six-day search. "There are people that made the decision not to return to the search site this weekend because of either physical exhaustion or burnout or mental exhaustion," Hansen said, noting the challenging terrain where searchers have worked. She said that some people felt that they could not handle being in the situation again for another weekend. Hansen expected the search to be suspended on Sunday evening, barring new information. Still no sign of Lilly and Jack Sullivan after 4 weeks 3 days ago Duration 2:21 The sister and brother were reported missing from their home in Pictou County on May 2. Haley Ryan has the story. Hansen said the decision to resume the search would depend on the RCMP and their investigation. The benefit of sending searchers back out again would also need to be taken into account. "It's getting to the point where maybe they need a little bit of time to recover and deal with the stress and issues like that, and spend time with their own families that they're leaving behind to be out here," she said. Sunday's search also involved teams from Pictou, East Hants, Strait, Sheet Harbour, Eastern Shore, Halifax and Pugwash. RCMP said they have received more than 355 tips and have formally interviewed more than 50 people, with more interviews planned. The Mounties have said all missing persons cases "are treated as suspicious until our investigation leads us to determine otherwise." Members of the community have been showing their support for Lilly and Jack by placing flowers and stuffed animals on a post outside of the RCMP detachment in Stellarton.
CBC
2 days ago
- General
- CBC
Exhaustion sets in as search for N.S. kids approaches 1 month
Almost a month into the search for two missing Pictou County children, searchers are beginning to wear out mentally and physically. Lilly Sullivan, 6, and Jack Sullivan, 4, were reported missing from their rural Lansdowne Station, N.S., home on May 2. About 80 searchers were out again on Sunday. They focused on a pipeline trail where a boot print was found during an earlier search. Amy Hansen of Colchester Ground Search and Rescue, who is this weekend's search co-ordinator, said there were no new finds over the weekend. It's never been established that the boot print is related to the missing kids, but Hansen said earlier this weekend it was all the searchers had to go on. She said morale was fairly good among those who turned out this weekend, but she conceded it has been hard on others. There have been two weekends of searching on top of the initial search. "There are people that made the decision not to return to the search site this weekend because of either physical exhaustion or burnout or mental exhaustion," Hansen said, noting the challenging terrain where searchers have worked. She said that some people felt that they could not handle being in the situation again for another weekend. Hansen expected the search to be suspended on Sunday evening, barring new information. Hansen said the decision to resume the search would depend on the RCMP and their investigation. The benefit of sending searchers back out again would also need to be taken into account. "It's getting to the point where maybe they need a little bit of time to recover and deal with the stress and issues like that, and spend time with their own families that they're leaving behind to be out here," she said. Sunday's search also involved teams from Pictou, East Hants, Strait, Sheet Harbour, Eastern Shore, Halifax and Pugwash. RCMP said they have received more than 355 tips and have formally interviewed more than 50 people, with more interviews planned. The Mounties have said all missing persons cases "are treated as suspicious until our investigation leads us to determine otherwise." Members of the community have been showing their support for Lilly and Jack by placing flowers and stuffed animals on a post outside of the RCMP detachment in Stellarton.
CTV News
3 days ago
- General
- CTV News
Search for Lilly and Jack Sullivan continues into fourth week in Pictou County, N.S.
Search manager Amy Hansen is pictured studying a map with Colchester Ground Search and Rescue personnel during the search for Lilly and Jack Sullivan on May 31, 2025. (Jesse Thomas/CTV Atlantic) One month after their disappearance, the search for six-year-old Lily and four-year-old Jack Sullivan continues this weekend. Ground search and rescue teams are expanding their efforts beyond the initial search area near the children's home in Lansdowne Station, N.S. The siblings were reported missing from their home on Gairloch Road on May 2 around 10 a.m. RCMP said the family believes Lily and Jack may have wandered off. Search manager Amy Hansen with the Colchester Ground Search and Rescue team said volunteer crews are focusing on a wider area, including a near nearby pipeline corridor and an area near Lake Lansdowne. Amy Hansen Search Manager Amy Hansen is pictured in Pictou County, N.S., during the search for Lilly and Jack Sullivan on May 31. 2025. (Jesse Thomas/CTV Atlantic) 'There's not really any updates,' said Hansen. 'We came back in to cover off some more areas that we deemed were crucial to search.' Although there's no new evidence, search and rescue teams discovered a boot print in the area during a previous weekend. Volunteers want to follow up with a deeper search in that area. 'We don't know for sure it (the boot print) was from the children,' said Hansen. 'But it's the only real thing we've had to go on thus far and so we're just investigating that further.' Approximately 75 volunteers from different search and rescue teams are participating on Saturday along with three drones, said Hansen. She said there are no helicopter or canine units assisting this time. RCMP and hundreds of volunteers executed a large-scale coordinated search that spanned 5.5 square kilometres around the children's home following their disappearance a month ago. Efforts were scaled back on May 7th after the extensive search, which included aircraft, drones, search dogs, a dive team and hundreds of rescue personnel. Additional searches were conducted on May 8th and 9th and again on May 17th and 18th. missing children A missing children flyer for Lilly and Jack Sullivan is pictured attached to a telephone pole. (Jesse Thomas/CTV Atlantic) Hansen confirmed volunteers will be back Sunday but said the extensive search through dense forest is exhausting and their numbers are dropping. 'These people have been out weekend after weekend,' said Hansen. 'But we are starting to see some people who physically and emotionally can't return to the search. At this point, it's very taxing on the members.' RCMP said the investigation remains open and anyone with information is encouraged to contact them. search and rescue Search and Rescue personnel are pictured during the search for Lilly and Jack Sullivan in Pictou County, N.S., on May 31, 2025. (Jesse Thomas/CTV Atlantic) For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
CBC
3 days ago
- General
- CBC
With few leads, search for missing N.S. kids focuses on area where boot print found
Social Sharing Searchers looking for two missing kids in Pictou County on Saturday scoured the area where a boot print was found in a previous search. But searchers concede they have little to go on and have no way of knowing if the boot print is even related to Lilly Sullivan, 6, and Jack Sullivan, 4. They were reported missing May 2. "We don't know for sure it was from the children, but it's the only real thing we've had to go on thus far," said Amy Hansen of Colchester Ground Search and Rescue, who is managing the search this weekend. Approximately 75 volunteers resumed the search on Saturday. Lilly and Jack Sullivan went missing from their home in Lansdowne Station, N.S., just over four weeks ago. The rural area is about 140 kilometres northeast of Halifax. Hansen said there has been no new evidence since the search was suspended two weeks ago on May 17, but crews have returned this weekend to cover particular areas of interest. She said the search is focused on Landsdowne Lake and a nearby pipeline trail, where the boot print was located. Hansen said the woods are full of brush and debris that have made it difficult for the searchers. Thus far, crews have done a grid search of about six square kilometres. Hansen expects them to search an additional one or two square kilometres this weekend. Three drones are helping with the search, but poor weather conditions mean that helicopters haven't been able to assist. In addition to the Colchester team, ground search and rescue teams from Pictou, Strait, East Hants, Springhill, Pugwash and Halifax are also helping out today. "We're actually starting to see people that just physically and emotionally can't return to the search at this point," said Hansen. "It's very taxing on the members." On Friday, Daniel Martell, the children's stepfather, told CBC News the last month has been painful for his family. "Every day when I wake up, it feels like I'm reliving a nightmare," he said. "The main feelings of sadness just turn to anger because there's no evidence after one month." The search for the children will continue until Sunday evening, barring any developments, said Hansen.
CBC
3 days ago
- General
- CBC
With few leads, search for missing Pictou County kids focuses on area where boot print found
Social Sharing Searchers looking for two missing kids in Pictou County on Saturday scoured the area where a boot print was found in a previous search. But searchers concede they have little to go on and have no way of knowing if the boot print is even related to Lilly Sullivan, 6, and Jack Sullivan, 4. They were reported missing May 2. "We don't know for sure it was from the children, but it's the only real thing we've had to go on thus far," said Amy Hansen of Colchester Ground Search and Rescue, who is managing the search this weekend. Approximately 75 volunteers resumed the search on Saturday. Lilly and Jack Sullivan went missing from their home in Lansdowne Station, N.S., just over four weeks ago. The rural area is about 140 kilometres northeast of Halifax. Hansen said there has been no new evidence since the search was suspended two weeks ago on May 17, but crews have returned this weekend to cover particular areas of interest. She said the search is focused on Landsdowne Lake and a nearby pipeline trail, where the boot print was located. Hansen said the woods are full of brush and debris that have made it difficult for the searchers. Thus far, crews have done a grid search of about six square kilometres. Hansen expects them to search an additional one or two square kilometres this weekend. Three drones are helping with the search, but poor weather conditions mean that helicopters haven't been able to assist. In addition to the Colchester team, ground search and rescue teams from Pictou, Strait, East Hants, Springhill, Pugwash and Halifax are also helping out today. "We're actually starting to see people that just physically and emotionally can't return to the search at this point," said Hansen. "It's very taxing on the members." On Friday, Daniel Martell, the children's stepfather, told CBC News the last month has been painful for his family. "Every day when I wake up, it feels like I'm reliving a nightmare," he said. "The main feelings of sadness just turn to anger because there's no evidence after one month." The search for the children will continue until Sunday evening, barring any developments, said Hansen.
