New Zealand: Children found missing in forest after three years

A bearded man in camouflage, heavily laden with a backpack and a gun, is followed by three younger figures also dressed in camouflage. The footage was filmed by two young men hunting wild boar in a remote part of New Zealand’s North Island.

A boy asked a masked man if he knew they were on private property. A woman, obviously, replied: “Yes… of course.” – “Does anyone know you’re here?” “No, only you,” replied the man. Then the group moves on.

At first the group of teenagers thought they were poachers, but they soon realized who they had met: Tom Phillips and his children Jayda (11), Maverick (9) and Ember (8) from across New Zealand. Three years have disappeared including Portal “Substance”.. This fleeting encounter while hunting wild boar is the first confirmed sign of the children’s lives since their disappearance in late 2021.

Homeschooling and custody battles

Officers immediately launched a search and rescue operation using helicopters. But Phillips, now 38, has successfully played a cat-and-mouse game with the police for years. RNZ reports among others. Despite the sighting, the police stopped searching for the group after three days – without results. He was heavily criticized for this, as neither special forces nor domestic monitors were called in to help.

The mysterious case of Tom Phillips has affected New Zealand for many years: Phillips was separated from his wife Cat and mainly took care of the children. Exact details of the custody battle are not public because family court proceedings in New Zealand are kept confidential.

Phillips was deeply distrustful of the state. Among other things, she homeschooled her children and lived with them on the family farm in Marokoba, a rural and remote area. According to New Zealand media, fewer than 70 people live there.

In September 2021, Phillips’ car was found abandoned on the seashore. The baby seats inside were empty. Everything initially pointed to a tragic accident. It is feared that the family may have been swept away in the accident. However, after a twelve-day search, the father and his children unexpectedly reappeared, unharmed. Phillips said she took her children on an extended camping trip.

A few months later, when there was a court hearing about the children, they disappeared again. This time the father has not returned from out of town and is wanted on an arrest warrant.

A Modern Robin Hood or Reckless?

Many suspect that Phillips has supporters over the years who have kept him under wraps for years and see him as a modern-day Robin Hood. Few in the countryside seem to approve of her decision to raise her children far from civilization. Some see him as a father protecting his children from state influence, while others condemn his behavior as irresponsible, as he is now wanted on an arrest warrant for taking children away from their mothers.

Therefore For example, like private detective Chris BudgeHe had already explored the area himself many times. “I think Tom has a network of people who support him.” According to him, the family depends on outside help to survive. Otherwise, they could not have lasted three years. He pointed out that the girls are now reaching puberty. The question is how the father deals with it.

Phillips, considered an experienced hunter and survivalist, has been caught on surveillance cameras repeatedly — most recently during an armed robbery at a bank. Again there was a lady. Authorities suspect that he had his elder daughter as an accomplice. Authorities announced a manhunt for him and increased pressure on his supporters. He then fled with him on a stolen motorcycle.

Last November he allegedly broke into a shop on a rural property after stealing a quad bike.

“I want my children back.”

“It was overwhelming, it was breathtaking. I just broke down when I saw the video,” said Kate, Phillips’ ex-wife and mother of three. However, given the failure of the authorities, she has no hope of ever seeing her three children again.

She said in an interviewHow stressful the situation is. In a podcast, she suggested that her daughter may have wanted to ask for help when she was dating teenagers, but she could only communicate through notes because she couldn’t bring herself to upset her father.

She firmly believes Phillips is getting help from the community, which she criticizes harshly: “It’s time for them to come home. My children deserve a normal life and giving support to Tom is tantamount to child abuse.” And: “I want my children back. You can keep Tom, I don’t care. I want my children back.”