RCMP in Nova Scotia say they’re conducting further ground searches in an area where a boot print was found, as they continue to investigate the disappearance of two children in that province.
Lilly Sullivan, 6, and Jack Sullivan, 4, were reported missing on May 2, police said. The siblings were said to have wandered off from their home on Gairloch Road in Lansdowne Station, about 140 kilometres northeast of Halifax.
Police conducted a search of the area following the children’s disappearance, but scaled back the search on May 7. Ground and air searches were resumed on May 17 with RCMP saying they were going to focus on specific areas rather than a wider search.
RCMP have said a new ground search will focus on specific areas around Gailoch Road and the nearby pipeline trail. They said a boot print had previously been located in the area. The search will take place on May 31, police said.
“We continue to ask that the public avoid the search area to allow trained searchers to do their work,” RCMP said. They also noted that any future searches would be determined based on the “course of the investigation.”
More than 100 volunteers had helped search 5.5 square kilometres of the nearby densely wooded area since the siblings were reported missing.
Police have used tracking dogs, helicopter crews, and aerial drones equipped with heat-seeking technology to aid in the search.
An underwater recovery team searched bodies of water around Lansdowne Station on May 8 and May 9, according to RCMP, but they did not uncover any evidence to help the investigation.
Two vulnerable missing persons alerts were also issued by RCMP in the search for the children.
Hours of video footage have been collected from the Lansdowne Station area, according to RCMP. They’ve asked the public to submit any additional video footage or dashcam footage that could help in the investigation.
RCMP said the siblings had been observed with family members on the afternoon of May 1.
More than 300 tips have been provided in the case, RCMP said on May 28.
They said that more than 50 people have been formally interviewed during the investigation.
RCMP’s major crime unit said it became involved in the investigation early on. RCMP said they would have informed the public if they suspected it was an abduction situation.
Police said they would pursue every avenue and were working closely with the family.
Lilly is described as having shoulder-length light brown hair with bangs. She might be wearing a pink sweater, pink pants, and pink boots. Jack has been described as having short blondish hair, and wearing blue dinosaur boots.
