Latest news with #Lil
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
'It's just really strange': Retired dog handler weighs in on search for missing N.S. children
As search and rescue crews once again depart a rural Nova Scotia community without finding two children who disappeared more than two weeks ago, a retired RCMP dog handler says it is baffling the siblings are still missing after such wide-scale searches. Lilly Sullivan, 6, and brother Jack Sullivan, 4, have been missing since May 2, when police received a 911 call reporting they had wandered away from their home in Lansdowne Station, a sparsely populated area about 140 kilometres northeast of Halifax. The children's disappearance set off a massive operation that included upward of 160 ground search and rescue officials, dog teams, drones and helicopters. But after six days of scouring the heavily wooded areas surrounding the siblings' home, covering 5.5 square kilometres, there was no sign of the children and RCMP announced the search was being scaled back. Search and rescue crews were called back to Lansdowne Station on Saturday and Sunday for yet another search, focusing on specific areas around Gairloch Road. An RCMP spokesperson said officials would be reviewing the information collected and determining next steps. Glenn Brown, who worked as an operational dog handler in the RCMP in several provinces for 26 years, said the fact the Sullivan children haven't been found "is just really strange." "I find it hard to believe that a six- and four-year-old would just disappear like that," said Brown, who was involved in hundreds of searches during his career. "I can guarantee you if I was still working today, it would be the thing to be racing around your mind all the time. Where would they have gone? We have done everything." Robert Koester, a search mission co-ordinator with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management in the United States, said it's rare to never find the subject of a search — it only happens in about five per cent of cases. That statistic is based on a database he compiled of a half-million search and rescue incidents from around the world. Koester said there are a few possible reasons the subject or subjects might not be found during a search, including that the search area wasn't large enough or that a team was assigned to an area, but never made it there. "The final reason is, it can just be darn hard to spot people out in the woods sometimes," said Koester, who wrote the book Lost Person Behavior: A Search and Rescue Guide on Where to Look — for Land, Air and Water. "All it can take is a second or two of looking to your left when you needed to be looking to your right.... Especially with children, they can crawl into small, tight spaces that are obscured from view, so they can be very difficult to find." While RCMP would not say what prompted them to return to the area over the weekend, Brown said it's not uncommon to bring searchers back in such investigations. In general, there are several factors that may prompt police to restart a missing persons search, he said. WATCH | Here's a timeline of the investigation into Lilly and Jack's diappearance: If police had received a tip or evidence, the substance of that information likely was not known by the searchers or even officers on the ground, given that the RCMP's major crime unit is involved. "They may tell them, 'We got a tip and we just want you to go in that area and search and see if you find anything,'" said Brown. "They don't even tell their own people that unless you are in the know, unless you're in that investigative group." He added that it's possible evidence has been found during the course of the investigation, but RCMP are not releasing that information publicly. As well, Brown said investigators may have reviewed information that warrants re-examining an area, or perhaps there were weather or wildlife concerns that prevented them from searching a particular area before. Regardless of why they returned to Lansdowne Station on Saturday, Brown said he knows from experience that those search and rescue officials and police officers are carrying Lilly and Jack with them every step. "They look at their own kids and look at their grandchildren and their nieces and nephews and they're probably wanting to go back in [and search]," he said. "It's such a heart-wrenching situation." RCMP have said they have not ruled out the case is suspicious, and the major crime unit has been involved since the day after the disappearance. The Mounties would not answer specific questions about the latest search and declined a request for an interview Tuesday. MORE TOP STORIES
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
'It's just really strange': Retired dog handler weighs in on search for missing N.S. children
As search and rescue crews once again depart a rural Nova Scotia community without finding two children who disappeared more than two weeks ago, a retired RCMP dog handler says it is baffling the siblings are still missing after such wide-scale searches. Lilly Sullivan, 6, and brother Jack Sullivan, 4, have been missing since May 2, when police received a 911 call reporting they had wandered away from their home in Lansdowne Station, a sparsely populated area about 140 kilometres northeast of Halifax. The children's disappearance set off a massive operation that included upward of 160 ground search and rescue officials, dog teams, drones and helicopters. But after six days of scouring the heavily wooded areas surrounding the siblings' home, covering 5.5 square kilometres, there was no sign of the children and RCMP announced the search was being scaled back. Search and rescue crews were called back to Lansdowne Station on Saturday and Sunday for yet another search, focusing on specific areas around Gairloch Road. An RCMP spokesperson said officials would be reviewing the information collected and determining next steps. Glenn Brown, who worked as an operational dog handler in the RCMP in several provinces for 26 years, said the fact the Sullivan children haven't been found "is just really strange." "I find it hard to believe that a six- and four-year-old would just disappear like that," said Brown, who was involved in hundreds of searches during his career. "I can guarantee you if I was still working today, it would be the thing to be racing around your mind all the time. Where would they have gone? We have done everything." Robert Koester, a search mission co-ordinator with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management in the United States, said it's rare to never find the subject of a search — it only happens in about five per cent of cases. That statistic is based on a database he compiled of a half-million search and rescue incidents from around the world. Koester said there are a few possible reasons the subject or subjects might not be found during a search, including that the search area wasn't large enough or that a team was assigned to an area, but never made it there. "The final reason is, it can just be darn hard to spot people out in the woods sometimes," said Koester, who wrote the book Lost Person Behavior: A Search and Rescue Guide on Where to Look — for Land, Air and Water. "All it can take is a second or two of looking to your left when you needed to be looking to your right.... Especially with children, they can crawl into small, tight spaces that are obscured from view, so they can be very difficult to find." While RCMP would not say what prompted them to return to the area over the weekend, Brown said it's not uncommon to bring searchers back in such investigations. In general, there are several factors that may prompt police to restart a missing persons search, he said. WATCH | Here's a timeline of the investigation into Lilly and Jack's diappearance: If police had received a tip or evidence, the substance of that information likely was not known by the searchers or even officers on the ground, given that the RCMP's major crime unit is involved. "They may tell them, 'We got a tip and we just want you to go in that area and search and see if you find anything,'" said Brown. "They don't even tell their own people that unless you are in the know, unless you're in that investigative group." He added that it's possible evidence has been found during the course of the investigation, but RCMP are not releasing that information publicly. As well, Brown said investigators may have reviewed information that warrants re-examining an area, or perhaps there were weather or wildlife concerns that prevented them from searching a particular area before. Regardless of why they returned Lansdowne Station on Saturday, Brown said he knows from experience that those search and rescue officials and police officers are carrying Lilly and Jack with them every step. "They look at their own kids and look at their grandchildren and their nieces and nephews and they're probably wanting to go back in [and search]," he said. "It's such a heart-wrenching situation." RCMP have said they have not ruled out the case is suspicious, and the major crime unit has been involved since the day after the disappearance. The Mounties would not answer specific questions about the latest search and declined a request for an interview Tuesday. MORE TOP STORIES
CBS News
03-04-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Unity Recovery suspends some Philadelphia programs amid possible federal funding cuts
A Philadelphia-based organization that has been a vital resource for individuals battling addiction and homelessness is now facing an unprecedented crisis. Unity Recovery, which has helped thousands of people rebuild their lives since 2019, has been forced to suspend much of its programming due to federal funding cuts. This includes shutting down a drop-in center in Manayunk. In a Facebook post shared this week , Unity Recovery announced the severe impact of the cuts. According to the post, the federal administration's decision to retroactively slash mental health and addiction funding has led to the closure of key programs, affecting more than 700 individuals across Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. As a result, more than 20 dedicated staff members have lost their jobs, and those in need of help may no longer have access to essential recovery services. Effective immediately, Unity Recovery has suspended several programs: A federal court in Rhode Island on Thursday temporarily halted the cuts . In a post on Facebook , Unity Recovery said staff have "not yet received formal notification from our funders about the implications of this ruling, [but] we remain hopeful that the administration will follow the Court's orders." "These are not just cuts. This is a dismantling of peer and community infrastructure that has been built by and for the people," executive director Robert Ashford said. "It feels hollow. It feels empty." Ashford says the organization has an annual $2 million operating budget with 90% of funding coming from the federal government. Since 2019, Unity Recovery has provided vital services to people like Lil. "I cried like a baby when they said they were closed," Lil said. "People of all ages are in need." Unity Recovery's programs have been a lifeline for people in early or long-term recovery, those experiencing homelessness, and individuals struggling with mental health. Services range from community outreach and peer-led programs to providing essentials such as hygiene supplies and overdose prevention kits. These services are key for many individuals who have no other safety net. In response to the crisis, Unity Recovery is calling on its community, partners and supporters to take action. They urge people to contact their elected officials, speak out on social media, and demand the restoration of funding for community-based recovery services. "We need your voice. Your outrage. Your solidarity," Unity Recovery's post reads. "Every person impacted by substance use and mental health deserves access to care, compassion, and community. The federal government has chosen to turn its back. We ask you to stand up." Despite the heavy blow, Ashford remains determined to continue fighting for the dignity, health and future of those they serve. "We're bruised but not broken," he said. "We still have other funding, and we will continue to fight." Unity Recovery's fight is far from over, and with the community's support, they hope to rebuild and continue their mission of providing hope, dignity and care for those who need it most.
