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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.'
CTV News
05-08-2025
- CTV News
No new info on missing Sullivan children
Atlantic Watch Saturday marked three months since Lilly Sullivan, 6, and Jack Sullivan, 4, disappeared from their home in Lansdowne Station, N.S.
CBC
20-06-2025
- CBC
Seven weeks later, two N.S. children are still missing. Why wasn't an Amber Alert issued?
Seven weeks after two children went missing from a rural Nova Scotia community, family members are still questioning why an Amber Alert wasn't issued for Lilly and Jack Sullivan. The young siblings have been missing since the morning of May 2, when police received a 911 call reporting they had wandered away from their home in Lansdowne Station, about 140 kilometres northeast of Halifax. RCMP have said all along that the case did not meet the criteria for the alert, and are now providing more details on the factors that are considered and the process that plays out in such situations. Amber Alerts are a national public notification system used to help find abducted children believed to be in imminent danger. Cpl. Guillaume Tremblay, who works in the RCMP's communications unit, was working the day of the disappearance and reviewed the policy on Amber Alerts. He said the criteria state there must be something to point the public toward, such as a suspect, a person of interest or a vehicle. "You want to direct the public to look for a specific vehicle, to look for that licence plate, to look for that suspicious person, to have a photo of someone or more information to suggest that there was an abduction," said Tremblay in a recent interview. While Tremblay reviewed the policy, it's the risk manager — appointed for every major incident — that ultimately decides if an alert should be sent out. In this case, the force issued two "vulnerable persons" alerts. The first was sent at 12:43 p.m. on the day of the disappearance and was directed to cellphones across a swath of communities in northeastern parts of Nova Scotia's mainland, including Lansdowne Station and New Glasgow. The second was issued at 5:26 p.m. the following day — May 3 — and included a larger area from Truro up to Tatamagouche and stretching across to Antigonish. For Daniel Martell, the children's stepfather, those alerts did not go far enough. He said he asked RCMP to issue an Amber Alert early on, and to position officers at the New Brunswick and P.E.I. borders and the airport, but was told the situation did not meet the criteria. "I think they should have just bent the criteria at that moment," said Martell. "It wasn't just one missing person, but two vulnerable children." 'I didn't kill Lilly and Jack': Stepfather of missing N.S. kids says he passed polygraph 23 hours ago Duration 10:30 Six weeks after two children went missing in Nova Scotia, Lilly and Jack Sullivan's stepfather says he passed a police polygraph related to their disappearance. He spoke with the CBC's Kayla Hounsell. Lilly and Jack's mother, Malehya Brooks-Murray, posted on her Facebook page the day after the disappearance asking for an Amber Alert to be issued. RCMP have repeatedly said there is no evidence to suggest the children were abducted. But that hasn't quelled the concerns of Belynda Gray, the children's paternal grandmother. She, too, wanted police to issue an Amber Alert, given the children's vulnerability. Lilly and Jack's mother and stepfather have both spoken to the media about how the siblings could have autism, but it has not been diagnosed. Gray says it's unfortunate an Amber Alert hinges on a specific car or person being identified as involved in a disappearance. "These are vulnerable kids," Gray said in a recent interview. "They do have a bit of a learning disability, so that puts them even more vulnerable." Grandmother of missing N.S. kids shares her story — and her son's 2 days ago Duration 8:51 The investigation has included searches of 8.5 square kilometres surrounding the children's home, including wooded areas, the family home, mine shafts, wells, septic systems and lakes. There are 11 RCMP units working on the case, with the major crime unit taking the lead. Formal interviews have been conducted with 54 people, some of whom were administered polygraph tests. Police have also collected hundreds of hours of video from the surrounding area, including dashcam footage of Gairloch Road — where the family home is located — from days before the disappearance. Meanwhile, the Nova Scotia government is offering up to $150,000 for information about the disappearance. On Thursday, Justice Minister Becky Druhan repeated that Amber Alerts involve specific criteria that were followed in this case. She noted they are administered through a national system, so the criteria are standardized across Canada and any changes would be beyond her department's scope. "Right now, we are focused on doing what we can to help support the investigation," said Druhan. "Ther RCMP has asked us to include this case in the major rewards program, and so we're hopeful that that's going to help generate some information that's going to help solve this case." There were eight Amber Alerts involving 10 children issued last year across Canada, according to the RCMP's National Centre for Missing Persons and Unidentified Remains. All of those children were found alive.
Globe and Mail
19-06-2025
- Globe and Mail
Missing Nova Scotia children were assessed by child welfare agency months before disappearance
Nova Scotia's child protection agency investigated the living conditions of Jack and Lilly Sullivan months before their mysterious disappearance in early May – a case file that has been reviewed by the minister responsible for child welfare. Scott Armstrong, Nova Scotia's Minister of Opportunities and Social Development, confirmed in an interview that the agency had a file on the children prior to their disappearance, but said it would be inappropriate for him to discuss the agency's findings. With Jack and Lilly still missing and a police investigation underway, it's not the right time to dissect the agency's prior involvement, Mr. Armstrong said. 'We have no idea where those kids are and we should be focused on helping them and finding them and supporting this family,' he said. Asked whether a review has been ordered into his agency's prior interaction with the children, he said: 'As minister, I've seen a report. I'll talk to that. I've personally seen the report. I asked for it,' he said. 'I'm aware of how our department was involved in this.' He added: 'I think we should be focused more on those kids than we are on looking to blame somebody.' Mr. Armstrong said there may come a point when the agency's involvement with the children is deserving of more scrutiny, but now – seven weeks into their disappearance – is not it. Daniel Martell, who was in a common-law relationship with the children's mother and was living with them when they went missing, told The Globe in an interview in May that a social worker with child protective services visited the home several months ago. The visit was prompted by concerns that had been relayed by someone at the children's school and related to their developmental delays, Mr. Martell said. The children's mother, Malehya Brooks-Murray, said she had 'no comment' in relation to child protective services' involvement with Lilly and Jack. Mr. Martell has said he had nothing to do with the children's disappearance and has nothing to hide. 'I'm keeping the story alive and keeping everyone's hopes up, not just my own,' Mr. Martell told The Globe in May. He also said Ms. Brooks-Murray had no involvement in the disappearance either: 'I know Malehya has nothing to do with anything.' Child welfare authorities investigate when a report of suspected abuse or neglect is received by the agency. In Nova Scotia, every person has a legal obligation to report concerns of suspected abuse or neglect of a child. The law stipulates that teachers and other childcare workers have an added duty to report. The disappearance of Jack and Lilly has prompted one of the largest ground searches in the province's history. Ms. Brooks-Murray told police that Lilly, 6, and Jack, 4, wandered away from their home in Lansdowne on May 2 while she and Mr. Martell, her then common-law partner, were sleeping. Earlier that same morning, around 6:15 a.m., she reported both children would be absent from school, according to Mr. Martell. He told The Globe Lilly had a cough and Jack was kept home as a precaution. The RCMP's major crime division, involved since day two of the search, has since seized electronic devices from the children's home, conducted polygraph tests, analyzed hours of video footage from the road outside their residence, and searched septic systems and abandoned mineshafts in the area. So far, the children appear to have disappeared without a trace. The division, whose primary role is to investigate foul play and homicides, has repeatedly said there is no evidence the children were abducted. The day after the children were reported missing, Ms. Brooks-Murray left her home in Lansdowne. She cut off contact with Mr. Martell and later changed her Facebook status to single. Nova Scotia and Ontario are the only two provinces without a Child and Youth Advocate. Both provinces rely on provincial ombudsmen to impartially investigate complaints related to child welfare; however, those watchdogs are also responsible for reviewing many other agencies and departments. The role of a Child and Youth Advocate is dedicated to advocating for and protect the rights of children. The office may also review and investigate deaths or injuries of children receiving government services. More than a year ago, Nova Scotia's Progressive Conservative government introduced legislation to create a dedicated office that would be an independent voice for the rights of children, but the initiative has not moved forward. Mr. Armstrong said he is 'personally committed' to creating such an office, and hopes to be able to share more details in the fall. The minister also said his department is taking steps to reduce the workload of child welfare staff, including improving recruitment efforts for new social workers and adding administrative roles to reduce paperwork done by front-line employees. On Thursday, the province announced a reward of up to $150,000 for anyone who comes forward with information about the missing children.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Yahoo
Neighbour hands RCMP days of footage leading up to disappearance of N.S. children
As RCMP remain tight-lipped about the investigation into the disappearance of two young Nova Scotia children, a resident who lives near their rural home says she has turned over trail camera footage at the request of police spanning five days before they were reported missing. Lilly Sullivan, 6, and her brother Jack Sullivan, 4, have been missing since May 2, when police received a 911 call from their mother and stepfather. Police say they were told the children had wandered away from their home in Lansdowne Station, a sparsely populated area about 140 kilometres northeast of Halifax. That sparked an extensive six-day search through 5.5 square kilometres of mostly dense woods. Search and rescue officials were then called back to the community over the weekend, focusing on specific areas around the children's home, but police have not said what prompted them to return and haven't revealed if any evidence was discovered. RCMP have not ruled out that the case is suspicious. They've confirmed the major crime unit has been involved since the day after the disappearance, but have been guarded about the details of the investigation. Melissa Scott, 44, said she was visited on May 20 by two officers from the RCMP's major crime unit, who inquired if she had any trail cameras set up on her 16-hectare property in Glengarry Station, near the children's home. Scott told police she has seven trail cameras in total on her property. One points down her driveway, another is positioned near the house and the rest are scattered throughout the woods. It takes about an hour to walk between them. "I did mention to [investigators] that I was very happy to see them and glad that they were canvassing a little further and looking at trail cam footage," Scott told CBC News in an interview Wednesday outside her home. "They did respond saying they probably should have been around earlier." Scott said she was given a USB drive to load her trail camera footage onto. She was initially asked to give them her footage from May 1 to May 3, but they later expanded their request to include April 27 to May 3. She said she handed over hours of footage on Thursday afternoon. Her Glengarry Station property is a roughly eight-kilometre drive from Lansdowne Station down dirt roads, but is also connected to it by train tracks and clearings for utility lines. It's roughly five kilometres east of the children's home as the crow flies. Driving distance and direct route between Glengarry Station and Lansdowne Station: Scott said she posted in a private community Facebook group asking her neighbours if they, too, had been visited by the RCMP. She said two other people responded that they had also been approached for footage. CBC News spoke to one neighbour who did not want to be named but confirmed they were asked by investigators for trail camera or security footage. Scott said she was also asked to confirm information about her family's vehicles, in order to "rule out local traffic" on the footage. CBC News requested an interview with RCMP and asked specific questions including why they are seeking trail camera footage from prior to the children's disappearance and why they are identifying local vehicles. The RCMP declined the interview request and a spokesperson pointed to the most recent news release from May 18, which provided some details of the latest search efforts. "To ensure the integrity of the investigation, no further details will be released at this time," said Cpl. Carlie McCann. WATCH | Here's a timeline of the investigation into Lilly and Jack's disappearance: On May 5, as helicopters buzzed overhead in the search for Lilly and Jack, Scott checked her trail cameras but didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. "But they're welcome to have it and maybe they'll see something I didn't," said Scott, who has a 10-year-old daughter and a nine-year-old son. "I'm glad they've expanded because if there is anything to be found anywhere, I really hope they find it." Scott said she normally lets her children have free rein of the woods, but has been keeping them closer to home. "It's scary, especially not knowing what happened," she said. "We really don't know much concrete evidence and there's so many possibilities and that's the scary part." MORE TOP STORIES
