A fugitive and his three children were spotted in New Zealand for the first time in three years (6 photos + 1 video)

15 October 2024

Tom Phillips, along with his daughter Jayda, now 11, son Maverick, 9, and youngest daughter Amber, 8, disappeared from Marocopa, New Zealand, in December 2021. Since then, police have received hundreds of reports of sightings of Phillips. Now, the first credible evidence has emerged that the fugitive and his children are alive.

New footage from October 3 shows four figures in camouflage walking in formation in the Waikato region.

The video taken by the hunters was handed over to police. A search of farmland in the area was launched, but no trace of the group was found. The investigation is ongoing.

The children's mother, Katherine, said: "I'm so happy to see all three of my babies. They're all alive."

The father first escaped with his children on September 11, 2021. Police and emergency services, as well as hundreds of volunteers and locals, searched for the family for several days.

They returned to a relative's farm 18 days later. The Phillips said they had been living in a tent in the woods the entire time. Tom was accused of wasting police resources.

However, they disappeared again a few months later and were last seen on December 9, 2021.

In January 2022, Phillips failed to appear in court, resulting in a warrant being issued for his arrest. He is also suspected of an armed bank robbery in Te Kuiti, near Marokopa, in September 2023.

A reward of $80,000 has been offered for information leading to the children's whereabouts.

Left to right: Jayda, Maverick, Amber

Inspector Andrew Saunders is confident the fugitive is being helped.

"If information or evidence is provided that will help find the children, immunity from prosecution will be considered for anyone who committed a crime by assisting Tom Phillips," he said.

Thomas Phillips

Catherine added: "Amber, like me, has asthma and requires medical care that can't be provided in the woods. Many people say the children are fine and being looked after. How do you know? Have you seen them? Or is that just talk? What Thomas is doing is not okay. It's child neglect, it's abandonment, it's child abuse. My children deserve better."