Full Name: Dylan Norman John Ehler

Alternative Name:

Case Status: Missing

Record ID#: 0270

*The names “Jane Doe”  and “John Doe” are English names used when the person’s true name is not known. If used above, the name refers to a person of unknown identity.

Date of Birth*: April 16, 2017
Birthplace: Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada
Age at the Time: 3
Age Group: Toddler (2 to 5 Years Old)
Biological Sex: Male
Hair: Brunette
Eyes: Blue, Green
Skin Complexion: Fair or Light
Shoe Size: US Child, Size 7
Ethnicity: Caucasian or White
Nationality: Canada
Languages Spoken:

*If the date says January 1, this is often just a placeholder for an unknown specific date. It usually means “sometime that year”.

Physical Build: Average, Stocky

Height:

Weight

Distinguishing Marks:

• Physical Abnormality

Medical Condition:
Physical Abnormality: Heterochromatic ➡️ His left eye was hazel. His right eye was half hazel and half blue, split vertically
Dental Condition:
Scars & Other Marks:
Piercings:
Tattoos:

Other Descriptors:

Clothing

• Green Camo Winter Coat with Faux Fur Hood and USA patches on the arms and chest
• Red Dinosaur T-Shirt
• Camo Jogging Pants
• Grey & Orange Rubber Boots (sometimes described as blue-ish)

Possessions:

Date of the Disappearance*: May 6, 2020

Description: Dylan Ehler was born on April 16, 2017, in Truro, Nova Scotia. He was an energetic and adventurous toddler, known for his love of toy cars, planes, and outdoor play. Like many children his age, he enjoyed watching Paw Patrol and reading The Cat in the Hat, which fueled his own active imagination. Described as sturdy and resilient, Dylan was quick to bounce back from falls and always eager to explore. At the time of his disappearance, he was approximately 3 feet tall, weighed 32 pounds, and had brown hair. He was last seen wearing a green winter jacket with USA patches and a faux fur hood, a red dinosaur t-shirt, camouflage jogging pants, and rubber boots.

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The year 2020 was challenging for the Ehler family, compounded by the COVID-19 lockdowns in Canada. Dylan’s parents, Jason Ehler and Ashley Brown, were dealing with financial strains and tensions at home. An ongoing dispute with a neighbor over alleged vandalism eventually resulted in accusations that one or both of them egged the neighbor’s home one morning in early May. The event sparked a severe argument between Jason and Ashley that led to police involvement and a court-issued no-contact order, requiring them to live separately temporarily until they finished counseling. They were forced to communicate only through intermediaries like their mothers. Jason stayed with his parents, while Ashley remained at home with Dylan and her daughter, Lily.

Authorities have repeatedly stated that this domestic dispute was unrelated to Dylan’s disappearance and did not involve the children. However, it indirectly influenced the events of May 6, as it appears this s why Dylan was at his maternal grandmother Dorothy Parsons’ home on Elizabeth Street for babysitting while Ashley met a friend for coffee.

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On the morning of May 6, 2020, Ashley and Dylan grabbed breakfast at a local coffee shop before she dropped him off at Dorothy’s house around noon while she grabbed coffee with a friend at a local cafe. Recent rains had caused the nearby Lepper Brook and Salmon River to run high and fast, but on this morning the weather had greatly improved. Grateful for an opportunity to let Dylan run ff some excess energy, Dorothy took Dylan outside to play in the front yard with her puppy and get some fresh air.

At approximately 1:15, Dylan was playing nearby when his grandmother turned away for a brief moment to put the puppy on a leash; when she turned back around, Dylan was gone. She immediately searched the area and alerted authorities by 1:20 p.m. Truro police arrived within five minutes, gathering Dylan’s description and launching a search.

Elizabeth Street is a short lane off Queen Street that dead ends rather quickly in an undeveloped area – attractive for a child wanting to hide or explore. Alongside runs Lepper Brook which conjoins with the Salmon River nearby, ultimately flowing into Cobequid Bay downstream. Given the high waters at the time, it would have been dangerous for a toddler. There were immediate concerns that Dylan may wander too close to either the Brook or the River, and both areas were searched.

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The initial search involved police, firefighters, and volunteers combing neighborhoods, garages, sheds, fields, and waterways. More than sixty people searched the brook using dive teams, thermal-imaging, and underwater tools to complete the search. Around 7:20 p.m., one of Dylan’s rubber boots was found submerged in Lepper Brook under a shopping cart. The second boot was discovered about an hour later near the brook’s confluence with the Salmon River. Police feared that if Dylan fell in, he may be have swept as far as Cobequid Bay making recovery difficult.

No Amber Alert was issued, as it requires evidence of abduction or foul play, which was absent here. The river was running clear a few days later, and search teams were able to see to the bottom; however, no new traces were found.  By May 8, the operation shifted from search-and-rescue to recovery. A mannequin approximating Dylan’s size and weight was released into the brook to simulate currents, but it yielded no new leads. Finally, on May 12, police informed the family and public that they were ending ground and air searches to focus on the missing persons investigation that was initiated when Dylan vanished.

Searches have persisted intermittently, with volunteers like the group Please Bring Me Home conducting efforts as recently as June 2025. No other items belonging to Dylan, such as his clothing or jacket, have been recovered.

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There have been sharing rumors regarding Dylan’s family, and accusations that Dylan’s disappearance was somehow linked to them. There also appear to have been rumors that the boots were not Dylan’s size (size 5 instead of size 7) and a few other discussions that will not be discussed here without evidence (Link). Police have found no evidence linking the family to foul play (Link).

The family maintains that abduction remains possible, noting the lack of proof Dylan entered the water beyond the boots.As Jason Ehler stated, “There’s no proof of him going into that water, other than the boots. You can’t assume anything in a case like this.” (Link).

Signs suggest Dylan may have fallen into the Brook, but the possibility remains that his boots were discarded by someone to throw off an investigation. Nothing else of Dylan’s (clothing, coat, etc.) was ever found. There is also the fact that Police arrived within 5 minutes and a search was immediately launched. Dylan’s shoes were not found until substantially later. The suggestion seems to be that Dylan almost immediately headed straight to the Brook where he fell in within a relatively short time, but both his shoes were conveniently caught and did not wash down in the rapidly moving brook during the several hours before they were found. While certainly feasible, it is not the only possible conclusion and there appears to be no evidence that Dylan did fall in other than the boots.

In August 2020, the family increased a reward to $15,000 for information leading to Dylan’s return. Jason described the ongoing pain: “It feels like day one over and over and over and over… I just want him to come home.”

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While the public initially rallied with support, the case soon attracted harmful amateur sleuthing on social media. Online groups spread accusations against the family, leading to severe harassment. In November 2020, Jason and Ashley sought legal action under Nova Scotia’s Intimate Images and Cyber-Protection Act against administrators of Facebook groups. Settlements were reached in 2021, prohibiting defendants from posting about the case or contacting the family.

More disturbingly, Dylan’s memorial site near Lepper Brook has been repeatedly desecrated. Reports include stolen flowers and plants multiple times in 2020, with individuals even digging in the area searching for “evidence.” Such actions are not only unethical but often illegal, constituting vandalism or desecration. (Link).

This harassment exemplifies how well-intentioned online investigations can turn harmful. As legal experts note, unfounded accusations can lead to criminal charges for harassment or defamation. The principle of “innocent until proven guilty” should guide public discourse, with any evidence reported to police rather than speculated online.

Multiple Victims?: No

Rumored or Actual Sightings:

*If the date says January 1, this is often just a placeholder for an unknown specific date. It usually means “sometime that year”.

Date the Body was Recovered:

Description: Unknown

Time of Death:

Cause of Death:

Recovered Remains (if partial):

Suspected Homicide?: No

Multiple Victims?: No

DNA Tested (No Match):

*If the date says January 1, this is often just a placeholder for an unknown specific date. It usually means “sometime that year”.

Description:

License Plate:

Description: