Calling all forenics - vanishing subdirectories from Downloads and entire photo library

So on May 13 2025, i discovered that all of the subdirectories and files under the Download directory were deleted. Also from Icloud where i synched the folder. Oddly, files that were not placed under a subdirectory, that is, at the same tier as the delected subdirectories, were not deleted.

Two days later when i clicked on photos, to my surprise , i received the normal welcome to photos message as i would with. a brand new machine. the entire library is gone.

Time Machine had no snapshot. The spec says that 30 days of recoverable snapshots are maintained. Apple support said that only works if you have an external drive connected, but that was not my. experience. I recall seeing weeks worth of spapshots on my macbook. Now, the last back up i did to perhiphal storage was two years ago when i backed up my old Mac. I did restore the pics and downloads folder files from there and moved the download folder files to a separate location under download directory.

I also use google drive to synch my download and pictures files for back up purposed, Oddly the last two years only of that data is missing. But all the files before that are still there. Maybe or not related, the last two years only of my wifes yahoo email disappeared. But all the mail before that is still there. That was a week before my files went missing.

The only non-apple system wide app that i use is to clean clutter is the free version of ccleaner. I see that it is maintaining 5+ gigs of data to be removed which i have yet to happen. Hoping against hope that my Download folder is in there

Another incident, which is intersting, but can't see how it relates, is that the last two years only of my wifes yahoo email disappeared. But all the mail before that is still there. That was a week before my files went missing.

Okay

The priority is to get the Download subdirectories back as they contain a history of my medical condition. Of course. story of my life, the data that is most of interest is the last three years, which are missing.

So,

1). I don't recall adjusting systems settings or Ccleaner settings, but if you want me to check and/or post a setting let me know.

2) What could have happened with my download subdirectories. Has anyone else experienced missing sub-directories or photos?

3) Does anyone know whether and I how i can retrieve whatever Apple may have backup from icloud?

4).What could have happened with my photos. Has anyone else experience the whole library gone and teh app reset to initial state?

5) Any help on next steps for me to take on this forensics exercise?