New Details Revealed About Missing Siblings, Ages 4 and 6, Who Vanished from Their Home 8 Months Ago

As police continue searching for two young siblings who disappeared from their Nova Scotia home eight months ago, newly filed court documents are shedding light on their family dynamics and the breadth of the investigation.

Lilly Sullivan, 6, and Jack Sullivan, 4, were last seen on the morning of May 2 at their home in Nova Scotia, Canada, according to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). At the time, the children were living with their mother, Malehya Brooks-Murray, their stepfather, Daniel Martell, and the couple’s baby daughter, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) previously reported.

As of mid-January, the siblings have not been found.

Large-Scale Search Effort and Thousands of Tips Reviewed

Court documents obtained by the CBC outline extensive work carried out since the children vanished. Those efforts have included a grid search of nearby woods, the use of cadaver dogs, and polygraph examinations, the outlet reported.

Investigators have also conducted 75 interviews, sought at least 12 search warrants, reviewed more than 1,000 tips, and examined approximately 8,000 video files, according to the CBC.

Court Records Describe Allegations of Past Conflict

The interviews referenced in the filings include questions about Brooks-Murray and Martell’s relationship. In one interview, investigators asked Brooks-Murray whether Martell had ever been physically abusive. According to the CBC’s reporting on the documents, she said that “he would try to block her, hold her down and once he pushed her.”

The documents also state that Brooks-Murray told investigators Martell would sometimes take her phone when she tried to call her mother, and that it could become physical and cause pain, the CBC reported.

Martell, meanwhile, told authorities he and Brooks-Murray had a “good” relationship, though they had recently argued about money, according to the CBC’s account of the filings. The documents reportedly state that the couple would yell during fights but that there was no physical violence, per the outlet.

RCMP Staff Sgt. Rob McCamon told the CBC that the nature of the couple’s relationship at the time of the disappearance is among the areas being examined.

“I’m not going to comment on … anything being a factor,” he said, adding that any such situation would be considered and followed up on.

New Information About the Children’s Biological Father

The court filings also include details about Lilly and Jack’s biological father, Cody Sullivan, according to the CBC. The documents claim he had not seen the children in a few years but had historically paid child support. The CBC reported that support stopped when he lost his job about nine months before the children went missing.

No Suspects Named, Case Could Still Turn Criminal

McCamon also told the CBC he is not able to identify any suspects at this time. Asked whether any family members are being scrutinized, he said he would not describe anyone as a suspect, noting police are continuing to gather information and evaluate evidence.

The disappearance has not been classified as a criminal investigation. However, recent court submissions cited by the CBC state it “could become criminal,” and that persons of interest could be identified as the investigation continues.

Earlier Account Suggested the Children Left Through a Back Door

Martell previously said he believed the children may have exited through a sliding back door at the family’s property while he and Brooks-Murray were in their bedroom with their baby, the CBC reported in May.

A “Find Lilly and Jack Sullivan” Facebook page has remained active during the ongoing search.

Authorities are still offering a reward of up to $150,000 CAD (about $107,000 USD) for information related to the children’s disappearance, according to a Nova Scotia government post.