Three months later, no new information on missing N.S. children

Saturday marked three months since Lilly Sullivan, 6, and Jack Sullivan, 4, disappeared from their home in Lansdowne Station, N.S.

Saturday marks three months since Lilly Sullivan, 6, and Jack Sullivan, 4, disappeared from their home in Lansdowne Station, N.S.

RCMP says there are no new updates on the case as they declined an interview request with CTV News on Friday – and declined to answer any questions via email.

The force referred CTV News to its July 16 news release, which said about 5,000 video files were being reviewed, more than 600 public tips were being assessed and at least 60 people have been interviewed – some undergoing a polygraph test.

RCMP also said officers were “submitting judicial authorizations to seize and examine materials and devices that may provide information useful to the investigation.”

“That tells me in itself that they suspect that there’s a crime involved,” says CTV News Public Safety Analyst Chris Lewis.

“They must have some grounds to believe that it’s a crime, other than just the fact that they’ve never been able to find them any other way.”

The children’s mother and stepfather told police they last saw Lilly inside the home and could hear Jack that morning. It is believed the siblings may have wandered into the woods, but there has been no sign of them since they were reported missing.

Police previously confirmed Lilly and Jack were with family members the afternoon of May 1.

“A police service never gives up on a case like this,” says Lewis, the former commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police.

“It may get a little colder, with no new leads or nothing more to follow up. But over time, you take another look at it. You balance it all out in terms of the latest technology and forensics, and you get fresh eyes looking at it.

“That’s never going to end,” he says.

During a video news conference on July 16, Cpl. Carlie McCann told reporters that a pink blanket was located and seized the day the children were reported missing.

“It was outside and found near Lilly and Jack’s home. The family has confirmed that the blanket belonged to Lilly,” said McCann.

“Police are investigating if and how it relates to her and her brother’s disappearance.”

When asked by a reporter what police believe happened to the children, McCann would only say “police are investigating every aspect of this.”

“We’re receiving a number of tips from the public and we’re following up on all of those tips,” she added.

Meanwhile, Lewis says it could be a missed opportunity when police declined to comment on the three-month anniversary of the children’s disappearance.

“I find that rather odd that they wouldn’t put someone before the camera to at least help bring some attention to it from a public perspective,” he tells CTV News. “But then again, we don’t know what else they have going on in terms of their ability to get somebody before a camera.”

-With files from CTV’s Andrea Jerrett

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