For nearly four years, authorities in New Zealand have been searching for fugitive father Tom Phillips, who vanished from the small town of Marokopa in December 2021 with his three young children—Jayda (12), Maverick (10), and Ember (9). Despite extensive police operations, repeated sightings, and an $80,000 reward, the family remains hidden in remote bushland.
Until now, Phillips’ relatives had remained publicly silent. This week, however, his mother Julia and sister Rozzi issued emotional pleas for him to come home, breaking a long-held silence that has fueled speculation about family divisions. In a letter read aloud on journalist Paddy Gower’s current affairs program, Julia expressed heartbreak at her son’s decision to flee. She begged Phillips to reconsider, telling her grandchildren she misses them every day and still hopes they will return.
Rozzi reinforced the message, appealing to her brother’s sense of family. “There’s a lot of love and support here,” she said, promising to stand by him if he comes out of hiding. She also spoke directly to her nieces and nephew, assuring them they remain important to their wider family.
The family’s intervention comes after a string of sightings, including hunters who filmed Phillips and the children walking through farmland, and reports of the group dressed in camouflage near State Highway 4. Authorities believe Phillips, an experienced outdoorsman, has been raising his children in the wilderness, teaching them survival skills and hunting for food. His sister insists the children are unlikely to be suffering physically, though questions remain about their wellbeing, education, and safety.
Phillips’ disappearance is complicated by legal and criminal factors. He initially went missing with his children in September 2021 before resurfacing briefly, only to vanish again months later. Since then, he has been linked to burglaries, a bank robbery, and even a shooting incident at a supermarket—allegations that paint a darker picture than that of a father merely escaping custody disputes.
Authorities maintain that the custody battle was the driving force behind Phillips’ actions. Responsibility for the children now rests with Oranga Tamariki, New Zealand’s child protection agency, which has prepared for their return. Police suggest Phillips’ first disappearance was a trial run for his longer disappearance.
Meanwhile, the children’s mother, Cat, has repeatedly appealed for their safe return, claiming Phillips may be aided by sympathizers across the country. She insists she even spotted him at a Bunnings hardware store last year.
Four years on, the case sits at a tense intersection of parental rights, survivalist determination, and criminal evasion. For Phillips’ family, the message is simple: whatever his reasons, they want him—and the children—home alive and safe.
