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2h ago

Family Issues First Public Plea to Fugitive New Zealand Father Hiding With Three Children

Police cite urgent welfare concerns for the off-grid children, with an NZ$80,000 reward posted for their safe return.

Jayda, Maverick and Ember have been missing with their father in the New Zealand wilderness since December 2021.

Overview

  • The children’s aunt, Rozzi Phillips, spoke on camera and read a handwritten letter from their grandmother urging Thomas Phillips to come home.
  • New Zealand Police say there are no new investigative updates, but they continue to believe the family is living off-grid in remote bushland.
  • Phillips is wanted over multiple alleged offenses, including a May 2023 armed bank robbery captured on CCTV.
  • Reports and CCTV place him in the Waikato region using disguises to buy supplies, with a member of the public noting a February sighting near Te Kūiti.
  • The children’s mother has appealed for information, stressing health concerns including daughter Ember’s asthma and the need for proper medical care.