Title: Cadaver Dogs Fail to Locate Missing Nova Scotia Children

The search for two missing children in Nova Scotia has not yielded any human remains, according to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Six-year-old Lilly Sullivan and four-year-old Jack Sullivan disappeared from their home in Lansdowne Station on May 2. In a news release, the RCMP stated that specialized cadaver dogs conducted searches in late September but did not find any evidence of the children.

Insp. Luke Rettie and Sgt. Dave Whalen led the search teams, which covered approximately 40 kilometers in the area. They focused on the property where the children were last seen, nearby pipelines, intersecting trails, and a location where a pink blanket was previously discovered. Despite these efforts, no remains were found.

Staff Sgt. Stephen Pike, who oversees the training of the police dogs, explained that the dogs are trained to detect the scent of human remains. He noted, "If the dogs did not alert their handlers, it suggests the dogs were never in the presence of human remains odour." However, he added that this does not completely rule out the possibility of remains being in the searched areas. "It means either the odour is there and couldn’t be detected or the odour isn’t there," Pike said.

The investigation into the children's disappearance remains active. The RCMP is following up on over 860 tips and has reviewed more than 8,060 video files as part of their ongoing efforts. Staff Sgt. Rob McCamon, who is in charge of the major crime unit, stated, "Each piece of information, including the results from the search teams, helps inform our next steps."

The children were reported missing by their mother, Malehya Brooks-Murray, shortly after 10 a.m. on May 2. She believed they had wandered away from their home. Police arrived at the scene within 26 minutes of the report. Initial searches involved police dogs trained to detect human scent, but the recent search marked the first time specialized cadaver dogs were deployed.

The family’s mobile home is situated along a gravel road surrounded by dense woods. Investigators believe the children may have exited through a sliding glass door on the back patio. Court documents indicate that the last confirmed sighting of the children was on May 1, when they were seen on video surveillance at a local store with their mother and stepfather, Daniel Martell.

The RCMP has conducted multiple polygraph tests during the investigation. Both Brooks-Murray and Martell passed their initial tests. The children’s biological father, Cody Sullivan, also passed a polygraph examination. However, the step-grandmother's test results were inconclusive due to physiological issues.

In July, police announced they were conducting forensic tests on the pink blanket found during the search. The family confirmed the blanket belonged to Lilly, but details about the investigation remain limited. A witness reported seeing two children walking along the road on the morning of May 2, heading toward a woman in a tan or gold sedan.

The RCMP continues to urge anyone with information about Lilly and Jack Sullivan to contact the Northeast Nova RCMP Major Crime Unit or Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers. The investigation remains open as authorities seek to determine the circumstances surrounding the children's disappearance.