Family of New Zealand ‘bushman’ on the run with his kids pleads for their return

The family of a fugitive father who went on the run with his three childrenin New Zealand have pleaded for him to come home.

Tom Phillips took his daughter Jayda, now 11, nine-year-old son Maverick and daughter Ember, eight, from the town Marokpa in the north of the country in December 2021 to live in the wilderness.

The family were spotted wearing camouflage gear in October 2024, with another alleged sighting taking place by the State Highway 4 in February.

Tom’s family have now directly appealed for him to bring the children back for the very first time.

In an interview with the New Zealand television show, Paddy Gower Has Issues, Tom’s sister, Rozzi, read out a letter their mum, Julia, had written to him.

‘Tom – I feel really sad that you thought you had to do this,’ Julia wrote.

‘Not considering how much we love you and can support you. It hurts every time I see photos of the children and of you and see some of your stuff that is still here. Thinking what could have been if you had not gone away.

‘Jayda, Maverick, Ember – I love you so much and really miss being part of your lives.

‘Everyday I wake up and hope that today will be the day that you will come home.’

Rozzi told New Zealand website Stuff: ‘There’s a lot of love and there’s a lot of support, and we’re ready to help you walk through what you need to walk through.

‘I miss you, and I miss being part of your life, and I really want to see you and the kids and be part of your lives again.’

She said she believes Tom has built a hut or ‘nest’ in the bush as shelter for the family due to his skills as a builder.

The police’s theory is that Tom took his children after losing a custody battle over them to their mother.

They believe the family are camping out in the North Island’s western Waikato region.

They put up a NZ$80,000 (£37,200) reward for any information about where they could be.

Catherine, the mum of the three children, said in an emotional video last year: ‘They are just innocent children, they do not deserve to be treated this way. They do not deserve the life that is being provided to them right now.’

Tom and the children first disappeared in September 2021 but returned to their farm 18 days later after living in a tent in the dense bushland.

But they disappeared again months later, with the last sighting being December 9, 2021.

Tom then failed to appear in court in January 2022 for a charge of causing wasteful deployment of police personnel and resources.

He is also wanted over an alleged armed robbery of a bank in Te Kuiti in September 2023.

The public has been warned to not approach Tom, despite there having been at least 40 sightings that officers have deemed significant.

In October last year, grainy footage emerged of the family dressed in camouflage gear walking along rolling hills outside of their former town.

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