The conclusion of one of New Zealand’s most bizarre mysteries came to a head last week after a fatal shootout with police.
Tom Phillips had been on the run with his three children for almost four years before he was shot dead by authorities on September 8 following an attempted burglary.
The family had been living in the North Island wilderness since December 2021, surviving rugged conditions and freezing winter temperatures.
Despite multiple sightings and searches, they had always managed to evade capture.
In an emotional statement to Mata Reports, the children’s mother, Cat, said she looked forward to welcoming Jayda, 12, Maverick, 10, and Ember, nine, “home with love and care”.
“We are deeply relieved that for our tamariki (the Maori word for children) this ordeal has come to an end,” she said. “They have been dearly missed every day for nearly four years.”
“At the same time, we are saddened by how events unfolded today. Our hope has always been that the children could be returned in a peaceful and safe way for everyone involved.”
Phillips vanished from the rural town of Marokopa with his children four years ago.
Local authorities were alerted to their presence by a witness after the duo fled from an attempted robbery of a farm supplies store on a quad bike.
They were stopped by police road spikes, where they were confronted by a lone officer.
Phillips turned on the officer and shot him multiple times with a rifle, leaving him with critical injuries, before a second patrol car arrived and returned fire.
An urgent bush search for Phillips’ youngest children commenced, with Jayda being “very helpful” in clarifying her siblings’ location. Hours later, Maverick and Ember were found at a remote campsite, two kilometres away.
Police say they were uninjured and in good health, and are now in the care of local authorities.
At the time of going to press, it is understood that the children have not yet been allowed to see their mother.
However, Oranga Tamariki (Ministry for Children) regional commissioner Warwick Morehu confirmed the children have been settled.
“They are doing well under the circumstances and engaging with the staff,” he said.
“They are comfortable and are together. [They] will be provided with whatever help or assistance they may need for however long they may need it.”
It comes as experts have warned that the children may face challenges reintegrating back into society after years of living in survival mode while in the bush.
“All these things could be potentially new for them, and potentially scary. It’s a lot,” child psychologist Dr Sarah Watson told RNZ Nights.
“Children can be incredibly resilient, but some kids can be really affected by these things, so only time will tell if they can manage.”
