Today marks five years since three-year-old Dylan Ehler vanished from his grandmother’s backyard in Truro, Nova Scotia, on May 6, 2020. Despite extensive search efforts and public appeals, Dylan’s disappearance remains unsolved, leaving his family and community in a painful limbo.
The Day Dylan Disappeared
Dylan was last seen playing in his grandmother Dorothy Parsons’ backyard when, according to her account, he vanished within seconds while she was tying up the family dog. Hours later, searchers found his rubber boots in Lepper Brook, a fast-moving stream behind the property that feeds into the Salmon River. Police believe Dylan may have fallen into the water and drowned, but his body has never been recovered, and no definitive evidence has confirmed this theory.
A Family’s Unrelenting Search
Dylan’s parents, Ashley Brown and Jason Ehler, have never stopped searching for their son. They have organized community events, including paper boat memorials, and have walked the shores of the Bay of Fundy, hoping for any sign of Dylan. They also launched a petition for the creation of an “Ehler Alert,” a proposed public alert system to notify communities quickly when children go missing in hazardous environments.
Controversy and Online Scrutiny
The case has drawn significant attention online, with social media users and amateur sleuths speculating about the circumstances of Dylan’s disappearance. Some criticized the family, particularly after videos surfaced of Ashley Brown lip-syncing to dark humor audio clips on TikTok. Ashley has acknowledged the videos were inappropriate but insists they were unrelated to Dylan and taken out of context. The family pursued legal action under Nova Scotia’s cyberbullying laws against individuals who accused them of negligence or worse.
An Open Case
The Truro Police Service continues to treat Dylan’s case as an open and active investigation. In 2022, they released age-progressed images of Dylan to show what he might look like at age five or six, hoping to generate new leads. Despite these efforts, no new information has emerged.
How to Help
Anyone with information about Dylan Ehler’s disappearance is urged to contact the Truro Police Service at 902-895-5351 or reach out to their local police department.
As the years pass, Dylan’s family remains steadfast in their hope for answers. Their unwavering determination serves as a poignant reminder of the enduring impact of a missing child and the importance of community support in the face of such tragedy.
