Dad snatched kids and raised them in wild for four years after ‘clash with ex’

The children of fugitive Tom Phillips have been found safe just hours after their dad was shot dead by police after almost four years spent living off grid in the New Zealand bush

Almost four years ago, Tom Phillips^[1] and his three children mysteriously disappeared into the New Zealand bush.

Phillips vanished with^[2] Jayda, 12, Maverick, 10, and Ember, nine, from the rural Waikato town of Marokopa on December 12, 2021, leaving their mum, Phillips’ ex Catherine, distraught.

There have been various sightings over the years, but today the saga was finally brought to a close when their father was fatally shot by police after shooting an officer during an alleged burglary. A witness raised an alarm at around 2:30am after spotting two figures – believed to be Phillips and daughter^[3] Jayda – in “farm clothing,” and with headlamps raiding PGG Wrightson, a rural supply store in Piopio, western Waikato, New Zealand. The pair fled on a quad bike but were intercepted an hour later, around 33km away on Te Anga Road, where police deployed road spikes.

READ MORE: Tom Phillips shot dead as his missing kids found alive after four years on run^[4]READ MORE: ‘My son died in crash after his dad collapsed at the wheel – his final act still haunts me’^[5]

When confronted by a loan officer, Phillips struck them in the head with a high-powered rifle. Backup police then shot and killed Phillips, while Jayda was taken into custody. There was no sign of his two other children, Maverick and Ember, but after a frantic search they were found “well and uninjured” at a campsite.

Police Commissioner Richard Chambers lauded the efforts of the search teams, stating: “This is a result of incredible work by police who had to contend with a high-risk situation and difficult circumstances both earlier this morning and throughout the day. I want to acknowledge our colleague who was shot and faces a long recovery.”

The male officer, who was critically injured after being shot by Phillips, was airlifted to hospital. The force confirmed that he has already undergone “the first of many surgeries after being shot multiple times”.

For Catherine, the return of her children is something that she never stopped hoping for. “We are deeply relieved that for our tamariki (the Māori word for children) this ordeal has come to an end. They have been dearly missed every day for nearly four years, and we are looking forward to welcoming them home with love and care.

“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. We also extend our aroha (love) to those in the community who have been affected, and our heartfelt gratitude to the many people who have supported us over these past four years. Your compassion has sustained us.”

Her nightmare began months before her ex’s December disappearance – on September 11, 2021, he took the children and vanished into the bush. His pickup truck was found in the water at Kiritehere Beach two days later and an extensive search was launched. Then suddenly, 19 days on, he walked back through the door of the family farm and claimed to have taken the kids on an extended camping trip to ‘clear his head’. He was charged with wasting police time and resources.

Phillips took the children for a second time just three months later after losing custody and arguing with Catherine, it has been reported. In the last four years they are believed to have lived off-grid without an education or contact with others.

They were first seen with their father on October 3, 2024, when they were spotted walking through Marokopa farmland. It’s believed they had been living in the wilderness ever since.

Catherine, who has campaigned tirelessly to have her children returned, published an apparent letter from her ex, begging for forgiveness.

The note, which she says arrived months after he snatched their children away for a second time, read: “I don’t know what to say or do to help you forgive me. I am not desperate to be with someone or I would have already done it. I don’t want to be with someone I want to be with you Catherine, the woman I have been in love with for over seven years.

“I can’t make you forgive me. Only you can make that choice and I know you don’t have to. I know if I ever give up trying to make things right I will regret it forever. I’m sorry for everything I have ever said or done to hurt you. These past nine months I have suffered everyday knowing I should have dealt with things better and knowing that I f***ed up.”

Cat added. “As a whānau (family), we are now attempting to work in cooperation with the relevant government agencies to support the safe return and reconnection of our tamariki.

“They have endured a long and difficult journey, and we ask for privacy as we help them adjust and reintegrate into a stable and loving environment.”