Phillips Family Disappearances

Eight-year-old Jayda Phillips, six-year-old Maverick Phillips, and five-year-old Ember Phillips disappeared with their father Tom Philips from the isolated rural Waikato town of Marokopa on 9 December 2021. New Zealand Police believe that the children were taken by their father to a location somewhere in the western Waikato, "within Marokopa or the surrounding areas” after a dispute with their mother.

The family had previously been considered missing for 19 days in September of the same year, sparking a major search effort. Phillips's truck was found abandoned on the Marokopa shoreline and was swamped with seawater. Almost three weeks later, Phillips returned with the children, claiming that he had taken them on a camping trip in dense bush in an effort to clear his head. He was charged with wasting police time and resources.

In May 2023, Phillips was charged with aggravated robbery, wounding and unlawful possession of a firearm after allegedly robbing a bank and shooting at a supermarket worker in Te Kūiti. In June 2024, Police offered an $80,000 reward for information that leads to the location and safe return of the children, who are now aged eleven, nine, and eight-years old.

Background

Before their disappearance, Tom Phillips lived in Ōtorohanga in New Zealand's Waikato district with his three children, Jayda (born 18 June 2013), Maverick (born 21 November 2014), and Ember (born 20 January 2016). They also spent much of their time at the family farm in Marokopa. Phillips had been separated from his wife Catherine for several years and was homeschooling the children. Phillips had also been homeschooled as a child. He is an experienced hunter and camper. The Phillips family has farmed in the area for generations.

First disappearance (September 2021)

The Phillips family had last been seen on 11 September 2021, at the family farm in Marokopa. Two days later their Toyota Hilux was found parked below the tideline at nearby Kiritehere beach, being battered by waves. The car keys were under the driver's side mat. Police launched a search operation and a rāhui was placed on the area, disrupting local whitebait fishing. Searchers' initial assessment was that they had most likely been swept out to sea. Despite daily searches of land, sky, and sea, involving a plane, helicopter, jet ski, inflatable rescue boat, and heat-detecting drones, no trace was found. The search base at Marokopa Hall was stood down on 19 September and daily searches were suspended on 24 September.

Phillips and his children were sighted in the morning of 30 September, riding a bike on Mangatoa Road. Police dispatched a plane but were unable to find them. Later in the morning, they "walked through the door" of the family farm. Phillips' sister stated that he had "wanted space to clear his head" and had been living in a tent 15 km (9.3 miles) inland from the beach where his ute had been found. The children were perfectly healthy, described as "bouncy as ever" by their grandmother. A friend of Phillips alleged that he had parked the ute in a car park near where he was camping but that it had been stolen, taken for a joyride and dumped at the beach. With the cost of the search estimated in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, Phillips was charged with wasting police resources, with a court date set for 5 November. This was delayed to 12 January 2022 due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Second disappearance and robberies (December 2021 – present)

Phillips disappeared with the children again on 9 December 2021. Police did not initiate a search, stating that he had notified his family of where he was going and was not in violation of court restrictions., He did not show up to his court date on 12 January and thus an arrest warrant was issued. His lawyer had not heard from him since first informing him of the court date. His ute was discovered parked on Mangatoa Road in late January. Phillips returned home for about an hour at night on 9 February to get supplies, telling his family that the children were okay but not disclosing their location. By that point he had grown a beard. The police, the children's mother, and Ōtorohanga mayor Max Baxter all stated that they believe he is receiving additional help to survive.

The older half-sisters of the Phillips children launched a petition in May, calling on the police and relevant government ministries to do more to find them. Police subsequently made a public appeal for information on ''Ten 7 Aotearoa''. There were two reported sightings of the children in May, but these were later dismissed by police. The children's maternal family planned for a search in June, but this was cancelled due to concerns from police. In August, police posited the idea that the Phillips family may have changed their names and started a new life elsewhere in the country.

Police declined to offer a reward for the children's return in September, so in October their maternal family began fundraising on Givealittle to offer a $10,000 reward themselves. They managed to raise only around half of that, but said they will supply the remaining reward money themselves.

Phillips stole a Toyota Hilux ute on 2 August 2023. He was seen driving near Kāwhia and Pokuru, and shopping at two separate Bunnings Warehouse stores in Hamilton. He wore a surgical mask to disguise himself. The stolen ute was later found near Te Anga on 4 August.

In September 2023, police charged Phillips in connection to an armed bank robbery in Te Kūiti in May with an unidentified accomplice believed to be one of his children.

On 11 June 2024, the police announced a reward of up to $80,000 for information that would lead to the return of the children within two weeks. They also offered legal immunity to anyone who may be assisting the Phillips' if they came forward. They received information overnight and set up checkpoints around Marokopa the next day. On Jayda's eleventh birthday, the children's mother released a video pleading for the public to assist the police in their search.

See also

*List of people who disappeared
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References

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2020s missing person cases
2021 in New Zealand
Fugitives
Fugitives wanted on robbery charges
History of Waikato
Missing New Zealand children
Missing person cases in New Zealand
Mass disappearances
New Zealand families
Bank robbers