Fugitive father seen with his children in New Zealand wilderness

NEW ZEALAND: A father who has been on the run with his three children in New Zealand has been seen in public with them for the first time in years.

Tom Phillips disappeared with his three children, Ember, 8, Maverick, 9 and Jayda, 11, into the wilderness after an argument with their mother. Police believe that they have been hiding and camping in North Island’s Waikato region.

They were spotted by a group of teenagers who were hunting for pigs and they filmed the encounter on their phones. The teens had asked one of the Phillips kids if anyone knew they were there. The kid had then replied “only you” and kept on walking.

According to a BBC report, the teenagers had said that Phillips had been carrying a gun and had a long beard while the children were wearing masks and carrying backpacks. They were all wearing camouflage clothing which was captured by the teenage group’s camera phone.

WATCH: Missing fugitive New Zealand father Tom Phillips and his three children are spotted alive and well – three years after they vanished without a tracehttps://t.co/YyPK1u2wJ3 pic.twitter.com/mX8H67ZcjW

— Video Forensics (@Video_Forensics) October 9, 2024

New Zealand Police have described the sighting as “credible” and the information as reliable.

Detective Inspector Andrew Saunders said, “We know it will be reassuring for this children’s wider family.”

The sighting also prompted a three-day search by the police. The mother of the children, Cat said in an interview with the New Zealand Herald that she was relieved that her children were still alive and appeared to be strong enough to carry their own bags.

She said that her ex-partner had used the children as ”pawns”.

”They shouldn’t have to be worrying about where they’re going to sleep that night or whether they’re going to be warm,” she said.

Police say that they think Phillips is being aided by third parties.

“We believe that Tom and the children are being assisted and we’re urging anyone who’s doing this to please stop, do the right thing and tell police what you know,” said Saunders.

According to police, the children have not been in contact with anyone for three years and they have not received any kind of education.

Phillips is also believed to have been involved in a bank robbery in Te Kuiti, which is a small town in North Island. The police issued a warrant for his arrest in relation to this last year.