It was 2021 when Tom Phillips and his children Jayda, 12, Maverick, 10, and Ember, nine, vanished from their family home in New Zealand. Allegedly, before they got missing, they got into an argument with the mother.
The last time the children were seen was October 3 last year, while the search for them is ongoing.
Cat, the mother of the children, opened up about the entire situation after some teenage boys reportedly spotted her children trekking through the bush along with their father and took a video of them.
At the time, Cat said that she was thankful for the video the boys had taken, noting that it felt like “Christmas came early.”
She, however, accused her husband of using their children as “pawns” in his game of trying to teach her a lesson.
Tom’s family also spoke about his actions and made a direct appeal to him.
“Everyday I wake up and hope that today will be the day that you all come home,” his mother, Julia, said, as reported by the BBC. “Tom – I feel really sad that you thought you had to do this. 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.”
She added: “Jayda, Maverick, Ember – I love you so much and really miss being part of your lives.”
“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,” his sister, Rozzi Phillips, told New Zealand news site Stuff in an exclusive interview.
“I 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 added.
According to Rozzi, it is very possible that Tom, whom she described as a capable builder, built a “hut” for him and the children in the bush.
It was reported that Tom and the children vanished after he lost legal custody of them and have since been camping in the North Island’s western Waikato region.
The teens who claim spotted the family in Marokopa said Tom had a gun and long beard, while the children had masks on and carried their own packs. They also said they briefly spoke to one of the kids, asking if anyone knew they were there, to which the child allegedly replied: “Only you,” according to New Zealand’s 1News.
Authorities have since issued a warrant for Tom’s arrest in relation to a bank robbery in Te Kuiti, where police believe he acted with an accomplice. Local officers have cautioned the public not to approach him, saying he is likely armed and may be receiving assistance from others to avoid capture.
Last year, a NZ$80,000 reward for information on the family’s whereabouts was posted.
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