A "last effort" search operation was scheduled for mid-November to seek out the missing Canadian sisters, four-year-old Jack and six-year-old Lilly.
The two children disappeared from their home in the town of Lansdowne Station, Pictou County, Nova Scotia, on May 2. Their mother, Maleha Brooks-Murray, reported the children missing, believing they were lost from their residence.
Six months later, the search continues in earnest, but as winter approaches and temperatures are expected to drop to-10 degrees, further operations will soon be impossible.
"As a mother, I love my children more than life itself, and it breaks my heart to be unable to hug Lily and Jack," Brooks Murray wrote on social platforms. "My desire for them to go home is beyond imagination. There is no day, moment or second that I don't miss my children."
Canadian organization "Please Take Me Home" is assisting volunteers to participate in the November 15 search operation. Executive Director Nick Audreyff said that while the organization doesn't usually intervene in cases of missing populations so early, they feel they need to reach out to help.
Odriff said: "We think we can take action to help, which is probably the last chance to find these children before the snowfall. As Canadian compatriots and a group specializing in searching for missing persons, we are willing to come to help. We have participated in many searches before and have been successful."
O 'Driff said that the search team will focus on the local shallow water area and look for any trace of the missing sister and brother. He explained that the organization was initially approached by the children's grandmother, Belinda Gray, and "related people" of their mother. He added that the RCMP are expected to continue the search "at full strength" after spring, as the warm season is "the best time to search for anyone".
Although speculation about the cause of the child's disappearance has been widely circulated online, O'Driff said his team has focused on only one possibility that Jack and Lily disappeared from the home they shared with their mother, stepfather Daniel Martell and sister Meadow. "At this point we are not sure exactly what happened," he said.
“At the moment, our search and rescue focus is limited to the direction of the missing/accidental accident and is mainly targeted at the water area. Therefore, it is necessary to repeatedly inspect ponds, lakes, quiet waters and streams.”
The main goal of this operation is to "scan the ground for any clothing or items that may belong to Jack and Lily Sullivan".
"We tend to set the search radius at around five kilometers to ensure that we don't rush things or miss any areas," the search and rescue coordinator said.
O'Driff pointed out that the public's willingness to help is very strong.
“I think people are keen to participate in search and rescue, which will give community members the opportunity to collaborate in search and rescue efforts in an organized way.”
Each search and rescue team will consist of about ten people, led by personnel with emergency response or search and rescue experience.
At the same time, he reminded volunteers: "If you come to participate in the search and rescue, please don't try to inquire about information that may involve criminal offences."
"Our current focus is to find accidents and lost clues, which is the core direction of the day's action."
The reminder comes at a time when online speculation continues to ferment.
Two neighbors hearing the sounds of vehicles coming back on the night of the children's disappearance sparked speculation.
But the Royal Police said that after “a thorough review of the surveillance video,” “no evidence of any vehicle activity has been found.”
Alison Gerrard, RCMP communications consultant, said: "No driver has been identified and the existence of the vehicle has not been confirmed as a key element of the investigation."
Court documents show that two police officers interrogated local resident Brad Wang on May 9. Mr. Wang hearing "noisy vehicles" driving near the residence in the early morning of May 2.
RCMP Corporal Charlene Cole wrote in the report: "Mr. Wang stated that his house was above Daniel's house and he could see vehicle lights above the treetops."
The court documents note: “He said the vehicle went around three or four times between midnight and early morning, and after a long drive he could hear the sound of the parking and return, the whole process was always in the hearing range.”
Another neighbor, Justin Smith, disclosed to investigators on May 17 that vehicles were heard turning around 1:30 a.m. at the railroad crossing on Route 289 near the home.
The police officer added: "Smith later talked to Brad Wang and learned that Daniel's vehicle made five or six round trips that night. Wang thought it was Daniel's car that Smith heard."
Martel told police that he "went to sleep early" and did not wake up until the next morning.
Brooks-Murry told investigators that her partner said she spent the night cleaning the toilet, but she wasn’t sure what he was doing because “the room wasn’t clean when she got up.”
Martel later told police that no one had left the home and no visitors had arrived. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police confirmed it had deployed body detection dogs in the area, but found no trace of the missing children.
Sheriff Rob McMahon said the case is currently under investigation of the missing population and no evidence of criminal activity has been found.
Brooks-Murray wrote on social media: "I will never stop looking for my children unless they are found and come home safely. Someone somewhere must know something, please let my babies go home."
（原标题：Mystery of missing Jack & Lilly, 6 & 4, who vanished into thin air while playing in their bedroom six months ago）