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INFAMOUS fugitive dad Tom Phillips and his three children may have been spotted again in the latest twist to the bizarre case gripping New Zealand for years.
The Marokopa man, who has been on the run with his kids since 2021, was allegedly spotted in a layby on State Highway 4, south of Te Kūiti, on Sunday morning.
A member of the public reported seeing a group of four people — an adult male and three children — dressed in camouflage around 8.30 am, The New Zealand Herald reports.
“Police are now working to establish whether this is a credible sighting and are working to rule out other possible scenarios,” a police spokesperson said.
ON THE RUN
Phillips, 36, has been hiding in the New Zealand wilderness with his children – Jayda, 11, Maverick, 10 and Ember, nine – since December 2021.
The last confirmed appearance of the runaway dad – dubbed ‘the Bushman’ for his ability to live off-grid – and his children was in October last year.
Two teenage pig hunters captured footage of the group trekking through farmland in bushland west of Coutts Road in Marokopa.
“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 children’s wider family,” police said at the time.
The sighting triggered a three-day search involving a military helicopter, but Phillips and the children disappeared again.
Phillips isn’t just wanted for taking his children.
Police allege he was caught on CCTV attempting to rob a Piopio store in November 2023.
The masked pair — believed to be Phillips and one of his children — were seen smashing the shop’s front glass before fleeing.
He’s also accused of robbing a bank and firing a gun at a supermarket worker in Te Kūiti in May 2023.
Police believe Phillips fled into the wilderness after losing legal custody of his children to Oranga Tamariki, New Zealand’s child welfare agency.
“That’s effectively why we believe he has taken the children, over custody,” Acting Detective Inspector Andrew Saunders previously said.
Saunders also suggested Phillips may have used his first disappearance in September 2021 as a “warm-up” for his long-term escape.
DESPERATE MUM’S PLEA
The children’s mum, Cat, has repeatedly begged for their return.
“I am standing here before you today begging you for your help to bring my babies home,” she said in an emotional video plea last year.
“They are just innocent children, they do not deserve to be treated this way. They do not deserve the life that is being provided to them right now.”
Cat has accused Phillips of using their children as “pawns in his game” and believes he is being helped by a network of supporters.
Criminal psychologist Dr. Tim Watson-Munro has warned of the long-term effects on the children, saying: “I would worry professionally about their psychological wellbeing arising from all of this.
” I mean, it’s an abnormal type of life for young kids to lead.”
Police are urging anyone who may have seen Phillips or his children to come forward.
Who is ‘The ‘Bushman’ Tom Phillips?
TOM Phillips is a fugitive father from New Zealand who has been on the run with his three children since December 2021.
His case has gripped the country, with police launching multiple searches and appeals for information.
Phillips first vanished with his children—Jayda, Ember, and Maverick—on September 11, 2021.
The family was missing for three weeks before unexpectedly returning home.
Phillips claimed they had been living off the grid in the remote bushland near Marokopa, a small coastal settlement in the Waikato region.
Following this, a court granted legal custody of the children to Oranga Tamariki, New Zealand’s child welfare agency.
Just a few months later, in December 2021, Phillips disappeared again—this time for good.
Authorities issued a warrant for his arrest after he failed to appear in court on charges related to his first disappearance.
Since then, he and his children have been living in the wilderness, avoiding authorities.
Phillips has been spotted multiple times over the years, often dressed in camouflage and carrying survival gear.
He is believed to be living off the land, relying on his bushcraft skills.
Each time, Phillips has managed to slip away before authorities could catch him.
Police believe Phillips fled into the wilderness because he lost custody of his children.
“That’s effectively why we believe he has taken the children, over custody,” Acting Detective Inspector Andrew Saunders said.
Some experts suggest his first disappearance in September 2021 was a “test run” for his long-term escape.
