Nova Scotia (Rajeev Sharma): Daniel Martell, the stepfather of two Nova Scotia children who vanished nearly nine months ago, has been charged with sexual assault, assault and forcible confinement, CBC News has confirmed.
Nova Scotia RCMP said Martell, 34, was arrested on Monday and now faces three charges related to an adult complainant. Police emphasized that the charges do not involve a child.
Martell is scheduled to appear in Pictou provincial court on March 2.
At the time of the children’s disappearance in May last year, Martell was living with Lilly and Jack Sullivan and their mother in the rural community of Lansdowne, N.S. The siblings — Lilly, 6, and Jack, then 4 — were reported missing on May 2, 2025, after their mother called 911.
A large-scale search operation was launched in the days that followed, with search-and-rescue crews combing dense wooded areas surrounding the family home. Despite extensive efforts, investigators found little physical evidence, aside from a pink blanket and a small boot print believed to belong to a child.
Since then, RCMP have pursued a wide-ranging investigation that has included the use of cadaver dogs, dozens of interviews, multiple polygraph tests, and the review of more than 1,000 tips and thousands of video files. Police units from several provinces have also been involved in the ongoing probe.
The case has attracted international attention and sparked widespread speculation on social media. However, RCMP have consistently cautioned against drawing conclusions.
Earlier this month, Staff Sgt. Rob McCamon, who oversees major crime and behavioural sciences for the investigation, said no family members had been identified as suspects in the children’s disappearance.
“I wouldn’t say anybody’s a suspect,” McCamon said at the time. “We continue to gather information and whatever evidence we’re able to find, and decisions will be made based on that.”
The investigation into the disappearance of Lilly and Jack Sullivan remains active.
