Update on Missing Children in Pictou: Sullivan & Ehler Cases

It’s been more than a year since two young children vanished from a small Nova Scotia community, and the silence has left a raw ache in Pictou County. While the search for Lilly and Jack Sullivan continues without resolution, another family has been waiting six years for answers about Dylan Ehler. Here’s what we actually know — and what remains agonizingly unclear — about these cases that have shaken rural Nova Scotia.

Active missing children in Pictou County: 3 (Lilly Sullivan, Jack Sullivan, Dylan Ehler) ·
Days since Sullivan siblings reported missing: Over 365 (since May 2, 2025) ·
Days since Dylan Ehler last seen: Over 2,190 (since May 6, 2020) ·
Lead agency: Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Nova Scotia

Five key facts form the foundation of what investigators have confirmed so far — a mix of dates, ages, and procedural moves that outline the official record.

Have Lilly and Jack Sullivan been found?

The short answer is no. As of the RCMP’s most recent update in May 2026, the Sullivan siblings remain missing. The children were reported missing from their home on Gairloch Road, Lansdowne Station, N.S., on May 2, 2025 Global News (press conference transcript). Despite multiple press conferences and public appeals, no confirmed sightings have surfaced.

What RCMP has disclosed so far

• The RCMP has publicly stated the investigation remains active, with all leads followed Nova Scotia RCMP.
• Neighbors were asked to submit trail camera footage from the days around the disappearance CBC News.
• A transcript of the May 1, 2026 press conference is available through Global News.

Community search efforts and public appeals

• Local volunteers organized search parties and distributed flyers throughout Pictou County CBC News.
• Facebook groups and Reddit threads (r/NovaScotia) have amplified awareness, though police caution against amateur investigation.

Has Dylan Ehler ever been found?

Dylan Ehler, who was three years old when he vanished on May 6, 2020, in Pictou County, has not been found. His case remains open after six years, with the RCMP continuing to appeal for tips Nova Scotia RCMP.

Timeline of Dylan Ehler’s disappearance

• May 6, 2020: Dylan Ehler last seen in Pictou County Nova Scotia RCMP.
• 2020–2026: Multiple police appeals, no successful location.
• Case remains listed on RCMP’s missing persons page.

Comparison with the Sullivan case investigations

• Both cases involve young children from the same rural area, but the RCMP has not stated publicly whether they are connected CBC News.
• The Ehler case has less public visibility, which advocates say reflects a pattern of lower resources for long-term missing persons cases The Walrus.

Who is the biological father of Jack and Lilly Sullivan?

The biological father has been identified in court documents but has not been publicly named in all reports Global News. The children lived with their mother and stepfather, Daniel Martell, at the time of their disappearance.

Stepfather Daniel Martell’s legal status

• Daniel Martell faces charges including fraud and weapons possession, which are unrelated to the children’s disappearance Global News.
• He appeared in Pictou courthouse in March 2026.

Mother’s custody and involvement

• The mother is not facing any charges and has cooperated with police CBC News.
• The parental relationship dynamic remains a focus of the investigation, though no details have been released.

What is the latest from the RCMP investigation?

The RCMP has been methodical in its public disclosures, releasing updates through press conferences and media partners.

Trail camera evidence requests

• In February 2026, police asked neighbours to hand over any trail camera footage from the days before and after May 2, 2025 CBC News.

Any charges or suspects

• No public arrests directly related to the children’s disappearance as of early 2026 Global News.
• The stepfather’s charges are separate and not connected to the missing siblings.

How has the Pictou community responded to the missing children?

The disappearances have left a deep mark on Pictou County. Residents have mobilised beyond what official resources can provide.

Volunteer search groups

• Local residents organised search parties to comb through woods and abandoned buildings CBC News.
• Flyers with the children’s faces were distributed across the province.

Social media awareness campaigns

• Facebook groups and Reddit (r/NovaScotia) have kept the cases in the public eye.
• Some online discussions have turned to frustration over the lack of progress.

The community’s grief is palpable. People want answers, and they want these children brought home.

— The Walrus, April 2026 The Walrus (investigative report)

The pattern is clear: residents feel the official response has not matched the scale of the loss.

Timeline: Pictou County missing children cases

• May 6, 2020 – Dylan Ehler, 3, vanishes from Pictou County (Nova Scotia RCMP).
• May 2, 2025 – Lilly (6) and Jack (4) Sullivan reported missing from Lansdowne Station (Global News).
• February 2026 – RCMP requests trail camera footage from neighbours (CBC News).
• March 2, 2026 – Stepfather Daniel Martell appears in Pictou courthouse on unrelated charges (Global News).
• April 22, 2026 – The Walrus publishes in-depth analysis of the case (The Walrus).
• May 1, 2026 – RCMP holds press conference marking one year (Global News (transcript)).

The chronology reveals a pattern that investigators have yet to break.

What’s confirmed and what’s still unclear

Confirmed facts

• Sullivan siblings have not been located as of May 2026 (Global News (press conference transcript)).
• Dylan Ehler has not been found (Nova Scotia RCMP).
• Stepfather faces charges unrelated to the children’s disappearance (Global News (court report)).
• RCMP is actively investigating both cases (CBC News).

What remains unclear

• Whether the two cases are connected (CBC News).
• Exact timeline of events on May 2, 2025 (Global News).
• Current location of the children (Nova Scotia RCMP).
• Motives behind the disappearance (The Walrus (investigative report)).

The gap between what is known and what remains hidden continues to define these cases.

Voices from the case

We continue to ask anyone with information, no matter how small, to contact us.

— RCMP spokesperson, May 1, 2026 press conference Global News (transcript)

They knocked on my door and asked if I had any outdoor cameras that might have caught something unusual.

— Neighbour interviewed by CBC, February 2026 CBC News

The court appearance was brief; the charges are not directly linked to the children.

— The Walrus, April 22, 2026 The Walrus (investigative report)

The ongoing search for the Sullivan siblings echoes the unsolved disappearance of Dylan Ehler, another case that has haunted the province since 2020.

Frequently asked questions

The unanswered questions outnumber the resolved ones, and no official timeline for answers exists.

Two families in Pictou County are living a nightmare that has stretched across years. For the Sullivan family, the one-year mark brought no breakthrough. For Dylan Ehler’s loved ones, the sixth year passed in silence. The RCMP says it remains committed, but for the community, the gap between official statements and concrete results feels like a widening wound. The next step, whether a tip, a court appearance, or a new lead, cannot come soon enough. For Pictou’s missing children, every day without news is another day of not knowing.