Stepfather of missing Nova Scotia children arrested on assault charges

RCMP arrested the stepfather of the Sullivan children missing from Pictou County, on unrelated charges, police told CityNews.

On Monday, around 11:30 a.m., Daniel Martell, 34, was arrested and is facing offences of assault, forcible confinement and sexual assault of an adult victim.

Martell is the stepfather of Jack, 5 and Lilly, 6, Sullivan, who were last seen in the rural town of Lansdowne Station, N.S. on May 2, 2025. The children’s mother, Malehya Brooks-Murray, called 911 and reported that the pair had wandered away from their home.

What transpired was weeks of searching for the two young children, thrusting Martell and Brooks-Murray into the centre of the investigation. RCMP have not found anything to suggest where the Sullivan children are.

Searches carried out over months turned up a child’s T-shirt, blanket, and a tricycle, but police say the items hold no relevance in the children’s disappearance. Cadaver dogs have swept the area, but did not find any leads.

Earlier this month, newly unsealed court documents detailed the relationship between Martell and Brooks-Murray, hinting that he was sometimes physical with her.

The documents include excerpts from police interviews.

On May 9, Brooks-Murray was specifically asked if the children’s stepfather was physically abusive.

“Malehya said he would try to block her, hold her down and once he pushed her,” the document reads. “She said he would also take her phone from her when she tried to call her mom, which would sometimes be physical and hurt.”

Martell, who was reached by The Canadian Press, denied the allegations, saying they are part of a narrative designed to make him look evil. “I never abused Malehya,” he said. “But the narrative was set that Daniel is an evil person … You can see all the allegations online. It’s absolutely insane.”

Lie detector tests completed in the case

Investigators have conducted a number of polygraph (lie detector) tests, including with Martell and Brooks-Murray. Both tests indicated they were truthful.

The children’s biological father, Cody Sullivan, underwent a polygraph test on June 12 and was deemed to be truthful. According to police, the biological father has not had a relationship or seen the children in three years.

In October 2025, the RCMP reconfirmed that the investigation into Lilly and Jack’s disappearance is “not believed to be criminal in nature.”

With files from CityNews’ Mark Hodgins and The Canadian Press’ Michael MacDonald.