Dylan Ehler was just three years old when he vanished from his grandmother’s backyard in Truro, Nova Scotia, on May 6, 2020. More than six years later, Dylan Ehler is still missing, and his case remains one of the most closely followed unsolved child disappearances in Atlantic Canada. This article brings together verified facts, timeline details, and the latest confirmed updates on the search for Dylan Ehler.
Who Is Dylan Ehler?
Dylan Ehler was born on April 16, 2017, in Truro, Nova Scotia, to parents Jason Ehler and Ashley Brown. On the afternoon he disappeared, Dylan was staying with his grandmother, Dorothy Parsons, on Elizabeth Street while his mother had gone to meet a friend. Parsons told police she was in the backyard with Dylan and her dog when she turned away for a moment to tie the animal’s leash, and when she looked back, the boy was gone.
That single moment launched one of the largest search efforts Truro has ever seen. Ground crews, aircraft, and dive teams combed the area around Lepper Brook and the Salmon River for six days. The only physical trace ever recovered was a pair of Dylan’s rubber boots, found tangled in the brook not far from his grandmother’s house.
Timeline of the Dylan Ehler Case
Understanding how the search for Dylan Ehler unfolded helps explain why the case still generates so much public interest today.
- May 6, 2020 – Dylan Ehler is reported missing around 1:30 p.m. from his grandmother’s backyard.
- May 6-7, 2020 – Firefighters recover one of Dylan’s boots in Lepper Brook; the second boot is later found further downstream near the Salmon River.
- May 12, 2020 – The active six-day search is officially called off, though the investigation remains open.
- 2021 – Dylan’s parents mark the one-year anniversary by floating paper boats down Lepper Brook in his memory.
- 2021 – Jason Ehler and Ashley Brown file a legal complaint against Truro Police, arguing the initial investigation had “tunnel vision” toward a drowning theory.
- August 2021 – The parents settle a cyberbullying lawsuit against administrators of a Facebook group that spread unfounded accusations against them.
- January 2022 – Jason Ehler is separately charged with fraud related to unauthorized use of a deceased person’s banking information, unconnected to Dylan’s case.
- 2023 – A police oversight board dismisses the parents’ complaints, concluding Truro Police followed appropriate procedures.
- May 2025 – Volunteers with the organization Please Bring Me Home conduct a fresh three-day ground search around Truro.
- May 2026 – Truro Police release an updated age-progression sketch showing what Dylan Ehler might look like at age nine.
Dylan Ehler Mother Charged: What Actually Happened
Search interest around “Dylan Ehler mother charged” often creates confusion, so it’s worth clarifying the facts directly. Four days before Dylan disappeared, RCMP charged Ashley Brown, Dylan’s mother, with assaulting Jason Ehler following a domestic dispute at their home. Jason Ehler was separately charged that same day with uttering a threat to cause Brown’s death and with mischief for damaging her phone.
These charges stemmed from an incident on May 2, 2020, entirely separate from Dylan’s disappearance four days later, and a no-contact order was put in place between the two parents except through a lawyer for child visitation arrangements. It’s important to note that neither Ashley Brown nor Jason Ehler has ever been charged in connection with Dylan Ehler going missing itself. Truro Police have consistently stated that Dylan’s disappearance remains an active, unsolved investigation, not a case with named suspects.
Is Dylan Ehler Missing or Has Dylan Ehler Been Found?
As of the most recent confirmed reporting, Dylan Ehler is still missing. Despite repeated searches, tips, and media appeals over the years, Dylan Ehler has not been found, and no confirmed trace of him has surfaced since his boots were recovered from Lepper Brook in May 2020.
Investigators with the Truro Police Service have said they believe Dylan may have fallen into the stream behind his grandmother’s home and was swept downstream toward the Salmon River. His parents have consistently pushed back on that theory, arguing police moved too quickly toward a drowning explanation without fully investigating other possibilities, including potential abduction. Both theories remain unconfirmed, and the case has never been officially closed.
Dylan Ehler Update 2025/2026: The Latest Developments
The Dylan Ehler update 2025/2026 period brought renewed public attention to the case around its fifth and sixth anniversaries.
- May 2025: Truro Police marked five years since Dylan’s disappearance by releasing archived photos and age-progression images, reaffirming the case remained active.
- June 2025: A dozen volunteers from Please Bring Me Home, a national search-and-recovery organization, spent three days searching the CN Rail line and areas near Dylan’s grandmother’s house. The team turned an “item of interest” over to Truro Police, though it was never publicly confirmed to be connected to the case.
- May 2026: On the sixth anniversary, the Ontario Provincial Police assisted Truro Police in producing a new age-progression sketch showing what Dylan might look like today at nine years old.
Each anniversary update follows a similar pattern: police reaffirm the file is still open, ask the public for any credible tips, and release updated imagery to help the public recognize Dylan as he ages.
How to Report Information About Dylan Ehler
Anyone with credible information about Dylan Ehler can contact:
| Contact | Details |
|---|---|
| Truro Police Service | 902-895-5351 |
| Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers | 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) |
Tips can be submitted anonymously through Crime Stoppers, and police have repeatedly emphasized that even small details could help move the investigation forward.
Frequently Asked Questions About Dylan Ehler
How old was Dylan Ehler when he went missing? Dylan Ehler was three years old, having been born on April 16, 2017, when he disappeared on May 6, 2020.
Where did Dylan Ehler go missing? Dylan Ehler was last seen in his grandmother’s backyard on Elizabeth Street in Truro, Nova Scotia.
Was Dylan Ehler ever found? No. Despite multiple searches, including efforts as recent as 2025 and 2026, Dylan Ehler has not been found. His case remains an open investigation.
Was Dylan Ehler’s mother charged in connection with his disappearance? No. Ashley Brown was charged with assault days before Dylan disappeared, in a domestic incident unrelated to his disappearance. No one has been charged specifically in connection with Dylan going missing.
What do police believe happened to Dylan Ehler? Truro Police have said they believe Dylan may have fallen into Lepper Brook and been carried downstream, based on where his boots were recovered. His parents dispute this explanation and believe other possibilities haven’t been fully explored.
Final Thoughts
The disappearance of Dylan Ehler remains one of the most heartbreaking unresolved cases in Nova Scotia’s recent history, and every anniversary update reminds the public that a family is still waiting for answers. From the initial six-day search to the renewed volunteer efforts in 2025 and the updated age-progression sketch released in 2026, the case of Dylan Ehler continues to receive attention precisely because so many questions remain unanswered.
If you have any information, however small it may seem, contact the Truro Police Service at 902-895-5351 or Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS. Dylan Ehler’s family has waited more than six years for answers — sharing this information keeps his case in front of the people who might finally be able to provide them.
