Stepfather of missing N.S. children asks people to stop ‘attacking’ their mother online

A vigil was held for Lilly and Jack Sullivan in Nova Scotia on Monday.

The stepfather of two missing children in Nova Scotia’s Pictou County is asking people to stop “attacking” their mother online as he tries to remain hopeful the siblings will be found safe.

“It doesn’t get any easier,” Daniel Martell told CTV News. “One month has passed.”Martell says the grief is overwhelming and only made worse by the online speculation about what happened to six-year-old Lilly Sullivan and four-year-old Jack Sullivan, especially when he has one child who still lives with her mother.

“Put your focus around Maleyha and toward the kids,” he said, referring to the children’s mother. “Don’t attack Maleyha because her mental health is going to be reflected on our daughter, so I don’t want anyone attacking Maleyha anymore.”

It’s believed the Sullivan children wandered away from their home on Gairloch Road in Lansdowne Station, N.S., the morning of May 2.

Their disappearance has stunned the community, with dozens of people coming together for a candlelight vigil in Stellarton, N.S., Monday evening. Martell attended the event, saying it brought out many emotions.

“They had some RCMP speakers and people from the community and there was even one guy who drove all the way from Sheet Harbour to come up and show his respect, so I appreciate that,” Martell told CTV News.

The children’s mother, Maleyha Brooks-Murray, did not attend the vigil.

Pictou County Warden Robert Parker says he understands a vigil may seem premature to some, but he feels it shows how deeply the community cares about Lilly and Jack.

“I always thought that perhaps it was a little early and perhaps it would show that we were sort of accepting the inevitable, and maybe we have to, but I think there was still hope here. I don’t think they were giving up,” said Parker.

“What else can you do? It’s a way they can show their emotion as best they can and that we haven’t forgotten.”

The search and investigation

The RCMP launched an extensive air and ground search for the siblings, which covered 5.5 square kilometres of heavily wooded and rural terrain, shortly after they were reported missing.

The search, which involved hundreds of people, dogs, drones, divers and helicopters, was scaled back five days later. Additional searches took place on May 8, 9, 17, 18, 31 and June 1.

In the latest search, 78 trained searchers from across the province focused on specific areas around Gairloch Road and a nearby pipeline where a boot print was previously found. The head of the search and rescue team said searchers did not find any new evidence last weekend.

The RCMP said any future searches would be determined “based on the course of the investigation.”

As for the investigation, police say they have collected hours of video from the area, are following up on more than 355 tips from the public and interviewed more than 50 people.

Police have also confirmed the children were spotted in public with family members the afternoon of May 1 – the day before they were reported missing.

Few other details about the investigation have been released.

Anyone with information about the missing children, or who has video footage to share with police, is asked to call the Northeast Nova RCMP Major Crime Unit at 902-896-5060. To remain anonymous, contact Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers, toll-free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page