Search for Lilly and Jack Sullivan continues into fourth week in Pictou County, N.S.

CTV News

31-05-2025

Search manager Amy Hansen is pictured studying a map with Colchester Ground Search and Rescue personnel during the search for Lilly and Jack Sullivan on May 31, 2025. (Jesse Thomas/CTV Atlantic)
One month after their disappearance, the search for six-year-old Lily and four-year-old Jack Sullivan continues this weekend. Ground search and rescue teams are expanding their efforts beyond the initial search area near the children's home in Lansdowne Station, N.S.
The siblings were reported missing from their home on Gairloch Road on May 2 around 10 a.m. RCMP said the family believes Lily and Jack may have wandered off.
Search manager Amy Hansen with the Colchester Ground Search and Rescue team said volunteer crews are focusing on a wider area, including a near nearby pipeline corridor and an area near Lake Lansdowne.
Amy Hansen
Search Manager Amy Hansen is pictured in Pictou County, N.S., during the search for Lilly and Jack Sullivan on May 31. 2025. (Jesse Thomas/CTV Atlantic)
'There's not really any updates,' said Hansen. 'We came back in to cover off some more areas that we deemed were crucial to search.'
Although there's no new evidence, search and rescue teams discovered a boot print in the area during a previous weekend. Volunteers want to follow up with a deeper search in that area.
'We don't know for sure it (the boot print) was from the children,' said Hansen. 'But it's the only real thing we've had to go on thus far and so we're just investigating that further.'
Approximately 75 volunteers from different search and rescue teams are participating on Saturday along with three drones, said Hansen. She said there are no helicopter or canine units assisting this time.
RCMP and hundreds of volunteers executed a large-scale coordinated search that spanned 5.5 square kilometres around the children's home following their disappearance a month ago.
Efforts were scaled back on May 7th after the extensive search, which included aircraft, drones, search dogs, a dive team and hundreds of rescue personnel.
Additional searches were conducted on May 8th and 9th and again on May 17th and 18th.
missing children
A missing children flyer for Lilly and Jack Sullivan is pictured attached to a telephone pole. (Jesse Thomas/CTV Atlantic)
Hansen confirmed volunteers will be back Sunday but said the extensive search through dense forest is exhausting and their numbers are dropping.
'These people have been out weekend after weekend,' said Hansen. 'But we are starting to see some people who physically and emotionally can't return to the search. At this point, it's very taxing on the members.'
RCMP said the investigation remains open and anyone with information is encouraged to contact them.
search and rescue
Search and Rescue personnel are pictured during the search for Lilly and Jack Sullivan in Pictou County, N.S., on May 31, 2025. (Jesse Thomas/CTV Atlantic)
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