Latest news with #DanielMartell
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
Polygraphs, a blanket and a bootprint: New details of investigation into missing N.S. children revealed
"Did you kill Lilly and Jack?" That was the first question Daniel Martell says he was asked during a polygraph test in the case of two missing Nova Scotia children. "I was extremely nervous," said Martell, the stepfather of Lilly and Jack Sullivan, who vanished nearly seven weeks ago. "It's like your stress level is just astronomically through the roof and your body doesn't know what to do because it's not every day the way you're hooked up to machines in an interrogation room where someone asks you questions like that." WATCH | Daniel Martell says he passed police polygraph Martell had offered to take a polygraph test early in the investigation, realizing investigators were likely looking his way in the mysterious disappearance of Lilly, 6, and Jack, 4. On the morning of May 2, police received a 911 call reporting they had wandered away from their home in Lansdowne Station, a sparsely populated and heavily wooded area about 140 kilometres northeast of Halifax. The disappearance sparked extensive searches that have so far turned up little evidence, as nearly a dozen RCMP units try to piece together what happened to the young siblings. Meanwhile, those closest to the children are revealing new details about a case that has captivated people across the world. Martell said he's gone above and beyond to help police with the investigation, encouraging them to search his family's property, offering up his cellphone and banking information and asking for a polygraph test. "The stepfather is always a prime suspect right off the beginning," said Martell in a recent interview. About three weeks ago, he sat in a large chair and had sensory pads placed under his forearms, buttocks and feet as part of a polygraph test. He said all the questions were presumptive that the children are no longer alive, such as: "Are you an accessory to the murder of Lilly and Jack?" None of the questions assumed the children were taken, he said. In Canada, polygraph tests are used as an investigative tool and are not admissible in court. Martell was informed of his results immediately after. He said the investigator told him: "You did a good job. You passed." The stepfather is one of 54 people who have been formally interviewed as part of the investigation. Some have received polygraph tests, although RCMP will not confirm how many. The children's paternal grandmother, Belynda Gray, has confirmed she was interviewed by police, as well as her son Cody Sullivan. Gray told CBC News they were not asked to participate in polygraph tests. On the first day of the search, emergency responders speaking over a non-encrypted radio channel mention a canine unit being dispatched to a blanket. "Families brought us to a location there not far away that there's a piece of a blanket which the mother says she believes belongs to her daughter, just off the road here," an official said over the radio. Martell confirmed it was a piece of Lilly's blanket. "There is more evidence than what the public knows, but I can't elaborate on any of that," said Martell. He did say it was found on Lansdowne Road near the location of a child-sized bootprint that was discovered around the same time by searchers in the area of a pipeline trail, just over a kilometre from the children's home. RCMP refused to answer questions about the blanket, however the force did confirm the bootprint was believed to be child-sized. Asked if anything of significance has been uncovered in the course of the investigation, RCMP Cpl. Guillaume Tremblay said there is no evidence to suggest the children were abducted. He also repeated what the Mounties have said all along, that every missing persons investigation is considered suspicious until they have reason to believe otherwise. "Investigators have access to all the resources and all the tools that the RCMP can offer, and even outside the RCMP we have other organizations that are engaged with this investigation," said Tremblay, referring to the National Centre for Missing Persons and the Canadian Centre for Child Protection. WATCH | What we know so far: Tremblay said they have received more than 500 tips from the public. "Whether it's a tip that indicates that there could be something that happened elsewhere in the province, elsewhere in the country, we have to follow up on those investigative tips to rule them out. And to this date we haven't had any confirmed sightings," he said. The last time the children were seen was the day before they went missing, when they were caught on surveillance footage with Martell, Malehya Brooks-Murray, who is the children's mother, and their one-year-old daughter, Meadow. Martell said the footage was from a store near Highland Square Mall in New Glasgow, N.S. "The investigators don't see me as part of the disappearance," he said. "I know I have nothing to do with any of it." Amy Hansen was part of a team of search and rescue officials that spent a cumulative 12,000 hours in the thick woods of Lansdowne Station, climbing over and under trees downed during a post-tropical storm in 2022. Hansen said the time and effort that's been put into this case is "pretty much unheard of in this province," and is by far the biggest search she's been involved in during her 22 years in search and rescue. She said searchers weren't just looking for the children, but also clues. "Clue-sensitive is what we call it. They're clue finders," said Hansen, who was the search manager for 10 operational search periods. "We're looking for all the evidence of them going through the area." Conditions were extremely difficult. Hansen describes teams being close enough that they could touch fingertips, but they couldn't actually see each other through the thick brush. Despite the lack of evidence, Hansen still believes the children are in the woods. "They're small. They'd be hiding. They would have crawled underneath something probably when they got tired. They could have gone further than what we searched," she said. "There's all kinds of scenarios unfortunately." Martell said he'd like to see cadaver dogs — which are trained to pick up the scent of human remains — brought in to search the woods. RCMP confirmed in a statement that cadaver dogs have not been deployed as part of the investigation. "Any searches involving the dog will be based on information gathered through the ongoing investigation," the statement said. Hansen said the case has taken a toll on volunteers. "There were members that couldn't bring themselves to call the names," she said. "They just want to find the kids and bring them home, so they're more than willing to keep coming back and keep searching. Unfortunately, at this point, unless something comes up, we're probably not going to be back." MORE TOP STORIES
Globe and Mail
a day ago
- Globe and Mail
Missing Nova Scotia children were assessed by child welfare agency months before disappearance
Nova Scotia's child protection agency investigated the living conditions of Jack and Lilly Sullivan months before their mysterious disappearance in early May – a case file that has been reviewed by the minister responsible for child welfare. Scott Armstrong, Nova Scotia's Minister of Opportunities and Social Development, confirmed in an interview that the agency had a file on the children prior to their disappearance, but said it would be inappropriate for him to discuss the agency's findings. With Jack and Lilly still missing and a police investigation underway, it's not the right time to dissect the agency's prior involvement, Mr. Armstrong said. 'We have no idea where those kids are and we should be focused on helping them and finding them and supporting this family,' he said. Asked whether a review has been ordered into his agency's prior interaction with the children, he said: 'As minister, I've seen a report. I'll talk to that. I've personally seen the report. I asked for it,' he said. 'I'm aware of how our department was involved in this.' He added: 'I think we should be focused more on those kids than we are on looking to blame somebody.' Mr. Armstrong said there may come a point when the agency's involvement with the children is deserving of more scrutiny, but now – seven weeks into their disappearance – is not it. Daniel Martell, who was in a common-law relationship with the children's mother and was living with them when they went missing, told The Globe in an interview in May that a social worker with child protective services visited the home several months ago. The visit was prompted by concerns that had been relayed by someone at the children's school and related to their developmental delays, Mr. Martell said. The children's mother, Malehya Brooks-Murray, said she had 'no comment' in relation to child protective services' involvement with Lilly and Jack. Mr. Martell has said he had nothing to do with the children's disappearance and has nothing to hide. 'I'm keeping the story alive and keeping everyone's hopes up, not just my own,' Mr. Martell told The Globe in May. He also said Ms. Brooks-Murray had no involvement in the disappearance either: 'I know Malehya has nothing to do with anything.' Child welfare authorities investigate when a report of suspected abuse or neglect is received by the agency. In Nova Scotia, every person has a legal obligation to report concerns of suspected abuse or neglect of a child. The law stipulates that teachers and other childcare workers have an added duty to report. The disappearance of Jack and Lilly has prompted one of the largest ground searches in the province's history. Ms. Brooks-Murray told police that Lilly, 6, and Jack, 4, wandered away from their home in Lansdowne on May 2 while she and Mr. Martell, her then common-law partner, were sleeping. Earlier that same morning, around 6:15 a.m., she reported both children would be absent from school, according to Mr. Martell. He told The Globe Lilly had a cough and Jack was kept home as a precaution. The RCMP's major crime division, involved since day two of the search, has since seized electronic devices from the children's home, conducted polygraph tests, analyzed hours of video footage from the road outside their residence, and searched septic systems and abandoned mineshafts in the area. So far, the children appear to have disappeared without a trace. The division, whose primary role is to investigate foul play and homicides, has repeatedly said there is no evidence the children were abducted. The day after the children were reported missing, Ms. Brooks-Murray left her home in Lansdowne. She cut off contact with Mr. Martell and later changed her Facebook status to single. Nova Scotia and Ontario are the only two provinces without a Child and Youth Advocate. Both provinces rely on provincial ombudsmen to impartially investigate complaints related to child welfare; however, those watchdogs are also responsible for reviewing many other agencies and departments. The role of a Child and Youth Advocate is dedicated to advocating for and protect the rights of children. The office may also review and investigate deaths or injuries of children receiving government services. More than a year ago, Nova Scotia's Progressive Conservative government introduced legislation to create a dedicated office that would be an independent voice for the rights of children, but the initiative has not moved forward. Mr. Armstrong said he is 'personally committed' to creating such an office, and hopes to be able to share more details in the fall. The minister also said his department is taking steps to reduce the workload of child welfare staff, including improving recruitment efforts for new social workers and adding administrative roles to reduce paperwork done by front-line employees. On Thursday, the province announced a reward of up to $150,000 for anyone who comes forward with information about the missing children.
CBC
a day ago
- CBC
New details of investigation into two missing N.S. children revealed
Social Sharing "Did you kill Lilly and Jack?" That was the first question Daniel Martell says he was asked during a polygraph test in the case of two missing Nova Scotia children. "I was extremely nervous," said Martell, the stepfather of Lilly and Jack Sullivan, who vanished nearly seven weeks ago. "It's like your stress level is just astronomically through the roof and your body doesn't know what to do because it's not every day the way you're hooked up to machines in an interrogation room where someone asks you questions like that." WATCH | Daniel Martell says he passed police polygraph 'I didn't kill Lilly and Jack': Stepfather of missing N.S. kids says he passed polygraph 8 minutes ago Duration 10:30 Martell had offered to take a polygraph test early in the investigation, realizing police were likely looking his way in the mysterious disappearance of Lilly, 6, and Jack, 4. On the morning of May 2, police received a 911 call reporting they had wandered away from their home in Lansdowne Station, a sparsely populated and heavily wooded area about 140 kilometres northeast of Halifax. The disappearance sparked extensive searches that have so far turned up little evidence, as nearly a dozen RCMP units try to piece together what happened to the young siblings. Meanwhile, those closest to the children are revealing new details about a case that has captivated people across the world. Martell said he's gone above and beyond to help police with the investigation, encouraging them to search his family's property, offering up his cellphone and banking information and asking for a polygraph test. "The stepfather is always a prime suspect right off the beginning," said Martell in a recent interview. About three weeks ago, he sat in a large chair and had sensory pads placed under his forearms, buttocks and feet as part of a polygraph test. He said all the questions were presumptive that the children are no longer alive, such as: "Are you an accessory to the murder of Lilly and Jack?" None of the questions assumed the children were taken, he said. In Canada, polygraph tests are used as an investigative tool and are not admissible in court. Martell was informed of his results immediately after. He said the investigator told him: "You did a good job. You passed." The stepfather is one of 54 people who have been formally interviewed as part of the investigation. Some have received polygraph tests, although RCMP will not confirm how many. The children's paternal grandmother, Belynda Gray, has confirmed she was interviewed by police, as well as her son Cody Sullivan. Gray told CBC News they were not asked to participate in polygraph tests. On the first day of the search, emergency responders speaking over a non-encrypted radio channel mention a canine unit being dispatched to a blanket. "Families brought us to a location there not far away that there's a piece of a blanket which the mother says she believes belongs to her daughter, just off the road here," an official said over the radio. Martell confirmed it was a piece of Lilly's blanket. "There is more evidence than what the public knows, but I can't elaborate on any of that," said Martell. He did say it was found on Lansdowne Road near the location of a child-sized bootprint that was discovered around the same time by searchers in the area of a pipeline trail, just over a kilometre from the children's home. RCMP refused to answer questions about the blanket, however the force did confirm the bootprint was believed to be child-sized. Asked if anything of significance has been uncovered in the course of the investigation, RCMP Cpl. Guillaume Tremblay said there is no evidence to suggest the children were abducted. He also repeated what the Mounties have said all along, that every missing persons investigation is considered suspicious until they have reason to believe otherwise. "Investigators have access to all the resources and all the tools that the RCMP can offer, and even outside the RCMP we have other organizations that are engaged with this investigation," said Tremblay, referring to the National Centre for Missing Persons and the Canadian Centre for Child Protection. Disappearance of Lilly and Jack Sullivan: What we know so far 1 day ago Duration 8:24 More than six weeks after two young children disappeared in rural Nova Scotia, police are saying very little. CBC's Kayla Hounsell speaks to family members, the RCMP and search crew members about what we know about the case so far. Tremblay said they have received more than 500 tips from the public. "Whether it's a tip that indicates that there could be something that happened elsewhere in the province, elsewhere in the country, we have to follow up on those investigative tips to rule them out. And to this date we haven't had any confirmed sightings," he said. The last time the children were seen was the day before they went missing, when they were caught on surveillance footage with Martell, Malehya Brooks-Murray, who is the children's mother, and their one-year-old daughter, Meadow. Martell said the footage was from a store near Highland Square Mall in New Glasgow, N.S. "The investigators don't see me as part of the disappearance," he said. "I know I have nothing to do with any of it." Amy Hansen was part of a team of search and rescue officials that spent 12,000 hours in the thick woods of Lansdowne Station, climbing over and under trees downed during a post-tropical storm in 2022. Hansen said the time and effort that's been put into this case is "pretty much unheard of in this province," and is by far the biggest search she's been involved in during her 22 years in search and rescue. She said searchers weren't just looking for the children, but also clues. "Clue-sensitive is what we call it. They're clue finders," said Hansen, who was the search manager for 10 operational search periods. "We're looking for all the evidence of them going through the area." Conditions were extremely difficult. Hansen describes teams being close enough that they could touch fingertips, but they couldn't actually see each other through the thick brush. Despite the lack of evidence, Hansen still believes the children are in the woods. "They're small. They'd be hiding. They would have crawled underneath something probably when they got tired. They could have gone further than what we searched," she said. "There's all kinds of scenarios unfortunately." Martell said he'd like to see cadaver dogs — which are trained to pick up the scent of human remains — brought in to search the woods. RCMP confirmed in a statement that cadaver dogs have not been deployed as part of the investigation. "Any searches involving the dog will be based on information gathered through the ongoing investigation," the statement said. Hansen said the case has taken a toll on volunteers. "There were members that couldn't bring themselves to call the names," she said. "They just want to find the kids and bring them home, so they're more than willing to keep coming back and keep searching. Unfortunately, at this point, unless something comes up, we're probably not going to be back."
CTV News
12-06-2025
- CTV News
‘I know it would be a big help': Stepfather of missing children shares details of polygraph test
The stepfather of the missing Nova Scotia kids Lilly and Jack Sullivan says he volunteered for a polygraph as part of the investigation. Six-year-old Lilly Sullivan and four-year-old Jack Sullivan were last seen the morning of May 2 at their home on Gairloch Road in Lansdowne Station, N.S. Since then, investigators say they've chased down every lead. The RCMP says the investigation is still active and confirms officers have interviewed 30 people, conducted polygraph tests and received close to 500 tips – but there is still no sign of the siblings. Polygraph test The children's stepfather Daniel Martell says he was the first to volunteer for a polygraph. 'I know it would be a big help in the case and kind of narrow down maybe some of the speculations and just provide more evidence,' said Martell. RCMP Cpl. Guillaume Tremblay told reporters Wednesday afternoon 'the truth verification unit is engaged.' 'There's multiple facets to those investigations and those experts are examining every question and answer that those individuals are providing and it could guide the investigation.' Police have not said how many tests were administered, who took the tests, or what the results were. Stepfather of missing NS kids speaks out During the polygraph test, Martell says he was asked whether or not he was involved in the disappearance of the children. He adds his cellphone, and that of his estranged wife, was confiscated and searched by investigators. Chris Lewis, CTV's policing expert and a former polygraph examiner for the Ontario Provincial Police, says it's significant the RCMP has administered polygraph tests. 'You don't do polygraph tests and waste that resource on people that maybe just saw something or heard something or is a real remote suspect. That's not the way it works,' Lewis told CTV News Wednesday. 'If they are doing polygraph tests and examinations on people, those are people they suspect might be involved in some way or for whatever reason aren't being honest.' 'I have nothing but time to just think' At this point, there has been no major break in the case. Martell says the silence inside his once busy home is deafening. 'Going from a family of seven to just me, I have nothing but time to just think,' he said. The emotional toll has left its mark on Martell, who has lost of custody of his daughter Meadow. 'I haven't even got to see my own kids, not even Meadow yet, but I'm still hopeful. I have supervised visits coming up with CPS,' said Martell. The children's stepfather says he's grateful for the investigators and the people who continue to share tips. He adds the family remains hopeful the children will return home safe. Four-year-old Jack Sullivan, left, and six-year-old Lilly Sullivan, right, seen in this handout photo, went missing on May 2, 2025 in the community of Lansdowne Station, N.S. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Nova Scotia Ground Search and Rescue Association *MAN... Four-year-old Jack Sullivan, left, and six-year-old Lilly Sullivan, right, seen in this handout photo, went missing on May 2, 2025 in the community of Lansdowne Station, N.S. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Nova Scotia Ground Search and Rescue Association *MANDATORY CREDIT* Police across Canada involved in investigation Police say more than 11 Nova Scotia RCMP units are working on the case, along with the National Centre of Missing Persons, Canadian Centre for Child protection, and provincial and municipal police agencies across Nova Scotia and Canada. Police say the information gathered during the investigation, including all ground search and rescue efforts, has not identified any new search areas at this time. The RCMP first launched an extensive air and ground search for the siblings, which covered 5.5 square kilometres of heavily wooded and rural terrain, shortly after they were reported missing. The search, which involved hundreds of people, dogs, drones, divers and helicopters, was scaled back five days later. Additional searches took place on May 8, 9, 17, 18, 31 and June 1. In the latest search, 78 trained searchers from across the province focused on specific areas around Gairloch Road and a nearby pipeline where a boot print was previously found. Anyone with information about the missing children is asked to call the Northeast Nova RCMP Major Crime Unit at 902-896-5060. To remain anonymous, contact Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers, toll-free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
National Post
05-06-2025
- National Post
Stepfather of missing N.S. kids reportedly says mother's grief worsening due to online speculation
Article content Daniel Martell, the stepfather of missing Nova Scotia children, four-year-old Jack and six-year-old Lilly Sullivan, says their mother's grief is worsening due to online speculation about the case, according to CTV News. Article content Despite a methodical search over the last weekend, 'searchers haven't uncovered anything of significance to the investigation,' Corp. Guillaume Tremblay told National Post on Thursday. Article content Article content 'Any future searches will be determined based on the course of the investigation. RCMP officers from various teams are fully engaged in finding out what happened to Lilly and Jack and we're using all tools and resources to determine the circumstances of their disappearance,' he said. Article content Article content Article content The children were reported missing more than a month ago from their rural home in Pictou County, where they lived with Martell, their mother Malehya Brooks-Murray, and the couple's baby, Meadow. Even with ongoing searches and following up on 355 tips as of late May, authorities still have not found any concrete leads. The lack of evidence has led many people on social media to come up with conspiracy theories about how the children disappeared, which the stepfather says is making the situation worse. Article content 'It doesn't get any easier. One month has passed,' Martell told CTV News. 'Don't attack Maleyha because her mental health is going to be reflected on our daughter, so I don't want anyone attacking Maleyha anymore.' Article content Martell, who attended a vigil for the children held on June 2, said Brooks-Murray's grief was overwhelming and was made worse by speculation. Article content The vigil was held in Stellarton, a town in Pictou County. A video of the solemn event posted on Facebook showed Martell lighting two paper lanterns and letting them float off into the sky. Article content Candlelight vigil for Lilly and Jack Sullivan ❤️💙 Posted by Kimberly Brown on Monday, June 2, 2025 Article content Article content Meanwhile, volunteer organization Halifax Search and Rescue said that scammers may be impersonating the group on fundraising site, GoFundMe. The fake campaign said it has a goal of reaching $100,000 to buy a drone to help with the search for the Sullivan siblings. Article content However, Halifax Search and Rescue director Paul Service said his group doesn't normally request donations through GoFundMe and doesn't base its campaigns on particular searches. Service says a representative from GoFundMe contacted him to say it was taking down the site and investigating after the campaign was reported on CBC.
