'Every parent's worst nightmare': Vigil held for 2 missing N.S. children

Two glowing paper lanterns were sent into a twilight sky over a rural Nova Scotia town on Monday evening, a symbol of hope for the safe return of Lilly and Jack Sullivan, two young siblings who vanished without a trace one month ago.

Lilly, 6, and Jack, 4, have been missing since May 2, when police received a 911 call from their mother and stepfather reporting they had wandered away from their home in Lansdowne Station, a sparsely populated and heavily wooded area about 140 kilometres northeast of Halifax.

About 50 people gathered outside the RCMP detachment in Stellarton on Monday for a vigil, where people were encouraged to place stuffed animals, candles and angels on a growing memorial for the children.

Brenda MacPhee, who helped organize the event, said she hoped the gathering would show the family they have the support of the community.

"It's not a place for accusations or judgments. It's a safe space," said MacPhee, who does not have any connection to the children.

"It's like every parent's worst nightmare. You don't want to ever have to go through something like this."

The disappearance sparked an extensive six-day search through 5.5 square kilometres of mostly dense woods and included upward of 160 search and rescue officials, dogs, helicopters and drones.

The effort was scaled back on May 7, but subsequent searches have taken place, including ground searches around the children's home on Gairloch Road and underwater searches of bodies of water in the region.

Over the weekend, search and rescue crews returned to the area, focusing on a pipeline trail where a boot print was found during an earlier search. A total of 8.5 square kilometres has now been grid-searched.

Despite search volunteers putting in more than 10,000 hours, hundreds of tips from the public and more than 50 police interviews, there is still no indication as to what happened to the children.

Speaking at the vigil, Staff Sgt. Curtis MacKinnon said the disappearance has deeply affected the family and residents of Pictou County, a mostly rural region of the province that's home to 43,000 people.

"Please know that we are fully engaged in finding out what happened to Lilly and Jack," said MacKinnon, who has been working on the case.

He noted the RCMP's major crime unit is involved and the case is considered suspicious, as are all missing persons investigations until evidence is uncovered to believe otherwise.

MacPhee became emotional as she read a prayer before inviting community members to lay candles meant to help "light the way home" for Lilly and Jack.

"Guide the hands and hearts of those working to bring these children home," MacPhee said as the children's stepfather, Daniel Martell, and paternal grandmother, Belynda Gray, looked on with sombre expressions.

Two paper lanterns — one for each child — were then lit and left to drift into a sunset-laden sky, eliciting cheers from the crowd.

"The community is hurting. They're feeling sadness," said MacPhee, who is a mother and grandmother. 

"By doing this, I think it helps a little."