Six-word response young girl gave after being spotted with her two siblings and father Tom Phillips three years after vanishing
The two Kiwi teenagers that spotted a fugitive father and his three children whove been missing for nearly three years have revealed what they spoke about.
The two Kiwi teenagers that spotted a fugitive father and his three children whove been missing for nearly three years have revealed what they spoke about.
The two Hamilton schoolboys were pig hunting on their grandfathers remote Waikato farm, in the countrys north, when they spotted Tom Phillips and his children - Jayda, 11, Maverick, 9, and Ember, 8 - on October 3.
The father and his children had disappeared from Marokopa in December 2021 and while there have been hundreds of sightings of Phillip reported to police, footage shot by the teenagers is the most credible.
The 16-year-olds initially believed the group were poachers and called out to them from roughly 60m away when Jayda responded.
I said, "This is private property", and she was like, "Yeah... duh". Then I asked, "Does anyone know youre on here" and she said, "No, just you guys", one of the boys recalled to Stuff.
The family continued walking in the direction of Marokopa, about 4km north of the coastal farm, and did not appear to be in any distress.
However, the boys were hesitant to attempt further conversation after seeing Phillips was armed.
All four members of the group were seen wearing camouflage and carrying large backpacks.
Tom Phillips and his children (pictured) were spotted on a remote coastal farm by two teenagers on October 3
The childrens mother, Catherine (pictured together), previously accused Mr Phillips of endangering and depriving the children
The boys recalled the children wearing hoods and Phillips large beard with a grey tip.
Phillips walked some 10m ahead of his children, who trudged single file behind him.
One of the teenagers said he decided to film the family because thats just what you do when its poachers.
It was only later they realised the group could be the missing family.
Fortunately, they were in an area with phone reception and quickly called their grandfather, John McOviney.
After seeing the video, Mr McOviney was sure the group was Phillips and his children so he phoned police.
The two teenagers rushed home where they were interviewed by police for roughly 10 minutes.
Mr McOviney recalled officers established checkpoints on nearby roads but said they could have been a bloody sight quicker with mounting a search.
Investigations are ongoing, with NZ Police Detective Inspector Andrew Saunders confirming the sighting was being treated as credible.
While nothing further of significance was located, investigators will now assess information gathered to determine any next steps, he said.
This is the first time all three of the children have been sighted, which is positive information, and we know it will be reassuring for the childrens wider family.
The father and his three young children first went missing on September 11, 2021.
Police and emergency services alongside hundreds of volunteers and locals spent days searching for the family after Phillips ute was found below the high tide mark on Kiritehere Beach.
Some 18 days later they returned to the family farm with relatives revealing they had spent the time living in a tent in dense bushland.
However, months later they disappeared again, with the last sighting of the father and his three children on December 9, 2021.
Tom Phillips and his children - 11-year-old Jayda, nine-year-old Maverick, and eight-year-old Ember (pictured) - have been missing since late 2021
Phillips failed to show up for a court appearance weeks later in January 2022 for a charge of causing wasteful deployment of police personnel and resources, and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
He is now also wanted for questioning over an alleged armed robbery of a bank in Te Kuiti near Marokopa in September 2023.
The armed robbery prompted police to warn the public not to approach Phillips.
In June this year an $80,000 reward was offered for information that could locate the three children, however, this expired after eight weeks with no result despite more than 40 sightings deemed significant by officers.
Inspector Saunders said police believe he has had help while on the run.
Immunity against prosecution will be considered for anyone who has committed an offence in assisting Tom Phillips, if they provide information or evidence which leads to the location and safe return of the children, he said in June.
The childrens mother, Catherine, previously accused Mr Phillips of endangering and depriving the children.
Ember is asthmatic as am I and she needs medical care that cannot be provided from the land, she said.
Many of you say that the children are fine and they are being well looked after.
How do you know? Have you seen them? Or is it just bush talk?
What Thomas is doing is not okay. It is not okay to divide and conquer, to isolate and control.
It is child neglect, it is child abandonment, it is child abuse. My babies deserve better.
Mr McOviney decided to make the video of the family public after growing frustrated with polices secrecy.
The thing that annoyed me about the cops was that they wanted to keep it all in-house - I think people deserve to know, he said.
The teenage boys recalled the children wearing hoods and Phillips (pictured) large beard with a grey tip
New Zealand Police said it did not share the video as it was evidence in an ongoing investigation.
The grandfather also shared several titbits about polices search.
Some 50 officers assisted by two helicopters swarmed the property and reportedly found a motorcycle at the edge of the farm but could not confirm if it was used by the family.
Mr McOviney also ruled out theories the father and children could be hiding in farm houses across the 3,400ha property.
Youve got to know the code to get into them ... theres no windows broken so they havent used them, he said.
Mr McOviney added Phillips was a smart bushman who knew how to survive the rugged land.
If he knocked over a sheep or a goat or a deer or a pig, wed never know, he said.
