The government of Nova Scotia is offering a cash reward of up to $150,000 for information in the disappearance of two young siblings from Pictou County in that province.
Lilly Sullivan, 6, and Jack Sullivan, 4, were reported missing from their home on Gairloch Road in Lansdowne Station on May 2. It is about 140 kilometres northeast of Halifax.
The family reportedly told police they suspected the children had wandered away from their home. Police conducted searches for the children, but scaled back on May 7. Ground and air searches were resumed 10 days later, with RCMP saying they were going to focus on specific areas rather than a wider search.
The province has now announced it will offer a financial incentive to help the investigation for the children, with Attorney General and Minister of Justice Becky Druhan saying the siblings’ disappearance has been felt across the province.
“My heart goes out to the family, the community and everyone who has been working to find these children since Day 1,” said Druhan.
She said that police and investigators had been “working tirelessly” to find answers.
The province said the case has been added to its Rewards for Major Unsolved Crimes Program, and anyone with information about the disappearance of Lilly and Jack has been asked to call 1-888-710-9090.
Those who provide information must give their name and contact information, the province said. They may also be called to testify in court.
Search Efforts
Police said they’ve received nearly 500 tips since the search began.More than 11 RCMP units have been involved in the investigation, including the major crime unit, underwater recovery team, and canine unit.
The National Centre of Missing Persons, Canadian Centre for Child Protection, and provincial and municipal police agencies from Nova Scotia and other parts of Canada have been working together in the search, RCMP said.
After the children were reported missing, more than 100 volunteers helped to search 5.5 square kilometres of densely wooded area. Police say they’ve used tracking dogs, helicopter crews, and aerial drones equipped with heat-seeking technology to help the search.
RCMP said they have searched the property where the children went missing, looking in outbuildings, nearby septic systems, wells, mineshafts, and culverts.
An underwater recovery team has also searched bodies of water around Lansdowne Station but did not uncover any evidence to aid the investigation.
RCMP issued two vulnerable missing persons alerts in the search for the children.
Additionally, police have obtained hundreds of hours of video footage from around Lansdowne Station.
They have also confirmed that the children were observed with family members on the afternoon of May 1.
Lilly has been described as four feet tall, about 60 pounds, with light brown hair and hazel eyes. She was believed to have been wearing a pink Barbie top and pink rubber boots with rainbow print, and carrying a cream-coloured backpack with strawberry print.
Jack has been described as three feet, six inches tall, weighing about 40 pounds with dark blonde hair and hazel eyes. He was believed to have been wearing a pull-up diaper, black Under Armour jogging pants, and blue rubber boots with dinosaur print.
Anyone with information has been asked to contact RCMP at 902-896-5060 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).
