Children Found Safe After Four-Year Manhunt; Tom Phillips Killed
What began in September 2021 as a mysterious disappearance in the small coastal community of Marokopa has finally reached a dramatic conclusion, almost four years later.
The Disappearance
Tom Phillips and his three children were last seen on September 11, 2021. Two days later, his ute was discovered abandoned at Kiritehere Beach, sparking a massive search involving aircraft, drones, boats, and ground teams. The operation cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, but no trace of the family was found.
Just weeks later, Phillips returned, admitting he and the children had been living rough in the bush. But by December 2021, he vanished again, this time for good, taking the children with him.
Years on the Run
Over the next few years, Phillips repeatedly evaded police. His name became linked to stolen vehicles, armed robberies, and sightings in remote Waikato bushland.
- In 2022, a warrant was issued after he failed to appear in court.
- In 2023, he was charged with aggravated robbery, aggravated wounding, and unlawful possession of a firearm after an armed bank robbery in Te Kūiti.
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In 2024, police announced an $80,000 reward for information about the children. Their mother, Cat, made a heartbreaking plea: “They are just innocent children… They do not deserve the life that is being provided to them right now.”
There were public sightings, from bushwalkers, pig hunters, and CCTV footage of burglaries, but Phillips managed to keep the children hidden.
The Final Confrontation
On September 8, 2025, police were called to a burglary at a rural Piopio farm store. Reports described two people on a quad bike. Road spikes stopped the vehicle, but when officers approached, Phillips opened fire at close range, critically injuring one officer.
Police returned fire, and Tom Phillips was shot and killed. One of his children was found at the scene. Later that day, the other two were located at a remote campsite — safe, uninjured, and finally recovered after nearly four years missing.
Conclusion
This violates child’s right on abduction. Tom Phillips had no legal custody of his children. By taking them into hiding, he unlawfully separated them from their mother and support networks, denying them education, healthcare, and a normal childhood
