Amateur sleuths have seized on the disappearance of two young siblings in rural Canada, flooding TikTok with speculation.
Lily Sullivan, six, and her brother Jack, four, were last spotted a week ago at their home in Pictou County, Nova Scotia.
The children were reported missing on May 2, when authorities received a frantic phone call from their family.
Since then, dozens of search and rescue teams equipped with drones and canine units have scoured the thickly forested region of Pictou county to find them – so far, without any trace.
Police believe the brother and sister wandered away from their home and entereda woodland, but TikTok is awash with videos speculating – without foundation – about a possible kidnapping.
What began as a desperate search has now rapidly become internet fodder as the case is drawing more and more attention.
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Stepfather to take polygraph over accusations
No suspects have been named, but some are even targeting the children’s stepfather, Daniel Martell, without any evidence.
Citing ‘body language red flags’ and ‘contradictions’ during police and news interviews with their parents, people have been sharing their conspiracy theories about what happened to Lily and Jack.
Mr Martell has even agreed to a polygraph test with authorities as a result of the unfounded speculation.
He said he willingly handed his phone over to police, adding that officers have also searched the home and ‘everything I own,’ CBC reported.
‘They searched every rock, every root. Everything,’ said the stepfather. ‘I’ve been giving them every detail, everything from my bank account statements to all the information that came off my Google maps.’
Regarding a polygraph test, which is expected to happen in the next few days, he said: ‘I just want to clear it up for everyone, not just the people online making crazy accusations and everything else.
‘I asked for that early on, and there’s not many places that do that in Canada, so they’re flying somebody in.’
Search for siblings scaled back
Lily and Jack’s mother, Malehya Brooks-Murray, told local media that she and Mr Martell were sleeping with their 16-month-old baby on Friday morning as their two older children played in the house.
When they awoke later in the morning, the siblings had vanished, without a trace where they went.
Police announced on Wednesday that after six days of scouring the heavily wooded areas surrounding the home, there was no sign of the children and it is not likely they are alive.
Staff Sgt Curtis MacKinnon told a news conference the active search was being ‘scaled back,’ but the missing persons investigation would continue.
‘So rather than having the large presence here, the massive number of searchers on scene every day, searches will be based on information that comes in,’ he said.
‘We are not packing up and we’re not giving up. Our investigation is broad and it won’t end until we know where Lily and Jack are and can bring them home.’
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