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Phillips family disappearances

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Phillips family
Disappeared9 December 2021
Marokopa, Waikato, New Zealand
StatusFound on 8 September 2025
Children3
FatherTom Phillips

Tom Phillips and his three young children disappeared 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, after a dispute with their mother. Phillips is alleged to have committed a bank robbery in September 2023, but the first sighting of all three children with their father was on 3 October 2024, when they were spotted walking through Marokopa farmland.

In September 2025, Phillips was shot dead by police during an altercation after he was interrupted during a burglary. A police officer was shot in the head during the incident. One of Phillips' children was safely recovered from the scene, and the other two were found later that day.[1]

Background

Marokopa seen from above

Before their disappearance, Tom Phillips lived in Ōtorohanga in New Zealand's Waikato region with his three children.[2][3] 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.[citation needed][4] He was an experienced hunter and camper. The Phillips family has farmed in the area for generations.[5]

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.[6] 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.[7][8] Searchers' initial assessment was that they had most likely been swept out to sea.[9] 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[10] and daily searches were suspended on 24 September.[11][12]

Phillips and his children were sighted on 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.[13] 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,[14][15] described as "bouncy as ever" by their grandmother.[16] 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.[17] With the cost of the search estimated in the hundreds of thousands of dollars,[18] Phillips was charged with wasting police resources, with a court date set for 5 November.[19] This was delayed to 12 January 2022 due to COVID-19 restrictions.[20]

Second disappearance and robberies (December 2021 – September 2025)

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.[21][22][23] 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.[20][24] His ute was discovered parked on Mangatoa Road in late January.[25] 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.[26] By that point he had grown a beard.[27] New Zealand Police believed 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.[28]

The police, the children's mother, and Ōtorohanga mayor Max Baxter all believed he was receiving additional help to survive.[29][30]

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.[31] Police subsequently made a public appeal for information on Ten 7 Aotearoa.[32] There were two reported sightings of the children in May,[33] but these were later dismissed by police.[34] The children's maternal family planned for a search in June, but this was cancelled due to concerns from police.[35] In August, police posited the idea that the Phillips family had changed their names and started a new life elsewhere in the country.[27]

Police declined to offer a reward for the children's return in September 2022,[2] so in October their maternal family began fundraising on Givealittle to offer a $10,000 reward themselves.[36][37] They managed to raise only around half of that, but said they would supply the remaining reward money themselves.[38]

Phillips allegedly stole a Toyota Hilux ute on 2 August 2023. The stolen ute was later found near Te Anga on 4 August.[39][40][41][42] On August 2, Phillips was also spotted at two Bunnings stores, one in south Hamilton and another in Te Rapa.[43][44][45] Police later stated that they believed the purchases made by Phillips suggested he had set up a campsite, as the purchases included headlamps, batteries, seedlings, buckets, and gumboots.[46] Cat, the mother of the Phillips children, later stated in October 2024 that she had spotted Phillips at the Te Rapa Bunnings, and given chase to his ute.[47]

In September 2023, Phillips was charged with aggravated robbery, including unlawful possession of a firearm, after allegedly robbing a bank and shooting at a supermarket worker in Te Kūiti in May 2023. The offender was photographed with an unidentified accomplice, believed to be one of his children.[48][49]

A NZ$80,000 reward was offered by the police in June 2024 for information that led to the location and safe return of the children. They also offered legal immunity to anyone assisting the Phillips' if they came forward.[50] The police received 50 tips "deemed worthy of consideration".[51] On the eldest child's eleventh birthday, the children's mother released a video pleading for the public to assist the police in their search.[52]

On 3 October 2024, Phillips and the three children were spotted walking through Marokopa farmland by a pair of pig hunters, who filmed the encounter.[53] The pair did not take the interaction further due to Phillips possessing a gun, and instead called the police. After a three-day search, including the use of a military helicopter, "nothing further of significance" was found, according to police.[54][55]

On 27 August 2025, New Zealand police released CCTV footage of what appeared to be Phillips and one of his children attempting a break-in of a store in Piopio.[56][57] On 29 August, Detective Senior Sergeant Andy Saunders said that Police had ruled out involving elite military forces such as the New Zealand Special Air Service (NZSAS) in the search for Phillips and his children to avoid the risk of the children being harmed during a confrontation with Phillips. In addition, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and other cabinet ministers described the question of NZSAS involvement as an operational matter for the Police to decide.[58]

Ram raid in Piopio and confrontation with the police

On 8 September 2025, Phillips was shot dead by police. Acting Deputy Police Commissioner Jill Rogers confirmed the timeline of events: In the early hours of the morning, an alarm was triggered at a PGG Wrightson rural supply store in Piopio. The burglars—Phillips and one of his children (subsequently identified as Jayda[59])—fled the town on a quad bike. The quad bike was travelling along Te Anga Road, 30 km (19 mi) north of Piopio, when spikes were laid and the quad bike hit the spikes. A constable came to find the incapacitated bike, and then Phillips fired at the officer using a high-powered rifle as the officer was getting out of his car.[60] The constable was hit multiple times resulting in injuries to his eye, and fell to the ground and took cover. He was airlifted to Waikato Hospital to undergo surgery.[61] A second police vehicle then approached the scene and engaged Phillips, killing him. Multiple firearms were found on or around the quad bike.[61]

By the evening of 8 September, police had found the two remaining children safe and well at a remote campsite. According to The New Zealand Herald, one of the children at the camp had been armed with a rifle as police approached, and negotiators from the Police Special Tactics Group worked to convince them to drop it.[62] The Herald also confirmed that Jayda had helped the Police negotiators to convince the other children to come with them.[59] Rogers confirmed that 50 personnel took part in the search for the two children and that the camp site would be forensically examined for the next two days.[63] The campsite was in deep bush approximately 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) from where Phillips was shot.[64] The campsite had been occupied for some time and included some "structures".[64] Police described the campsite as "grim, dimly lit, and surrounded by dense bush".[65] Images of the campsite were released by police.[65]

The children's mother Cat released a statement expressing relief that her three children had been found safely and expressing aroha for the wounded Police officer.[66] On 10 September, Police Commissioner Richard Chambers confirmed that the children would remain in the care of Oranga Tamariki (the Ministry for Children) and that Police would not question them while they continued their search for further campsites and Phillip's accomplices.[59]

The death of Phillips attracted significant international media coverage from several media outlets including ABC News, CNN and BBC News.[67][68][69] The family of Phillips including his sister Rozzi Phillips and the children's mother Cat have objected to a documentary on the Phillips family disappearance being produced by Dame Julie Christie. On 10 September 2025, the Police's executive Director Media & Communications Claire Trevett that a film crew from NHNZ had accompanied the Police's "Operation Curly" team for much of 2025.[70]

See also

References

  1. ^ Johnston, Kirsty; journalist, Senior (8 September 2025). "Questions about the Marokopa children as Tom Phillips killed after four-year search". RNZ. Retrieved 9 September 2025.
  2. ^ a b Nixon, Jane (7 September 2022). "Police rule out reward as hunt for Marokopa kids enters 9th month". 1 News.
  3. ^ "Birthday boy turns 8: Fresh plea for missing Marakopa family to return home for Christmas". New Zealand Herald. 21 November 2022. Archived from the original on 21 November 2022. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
  4. ^ Johnston, Caitlan (4 January 2023). "Marokopa mystery: Private investigator explains how easy it can be to go missing as Tom Phillips and children have not been seen for over a year". New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 4 January 2023. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
  5. ^ Wall, Tony (18 September 2021). "The mystery of the missing family – what's become of Tom Phillips and his kids?". Stuff.
  6. ^ Ensor, Jamie; Rutherford, Karen (14 September 2021). "Police have 'serious concerns' for missing family, vehicle found on beach with waves crashing onto bonnet". Newshub. Archived from the original on 14 September 2021.
  7. ^ Preston, Nikki (15 September 2021). "Father, three children missing: Otorohanga residents shocked over disappearance". New Zealand Herald.
  8. ^ Wall, Tony; Kirkeby, Luke (2 October 2021). "From joy to frustration over Marokopa's lost-then-found family". Waikato Times. Stuff.
  9. ^ McRae, Andrew (7 December 2021). "Thomas Phillips: Search first believed family missing for 17 days likely swept into sea". RNZ.
  10. ^ "Marakopa search continues on land as base wound up". Stuff. 19 September 2021.
  11. ^ "Missing family: Daily searches for family last seen in Marokopa suspended". Stuff. 24 September 2021.
  12. ^ Kronast, Hannah (24 September 2021). "Marokopa missing family: Daily physical search for Thomas Phillips and his children suspended". Newshub. Archived from the original on 26 September 2021.
  13. ^ Satherley, Dan; Rutherford, Karen; Sadler, Rachel (30 September 2021). "Family missing in south Waikato found 'safe and well'". Newshub. Archived from the original on 30 September 2021.
  14. ^ "Marokopa mystery: Family of missing kids on weeks in dense bush – 'Didn't do it hard at all'". New Zealand Herald. 1 October 2021.
  15. ^ Shepherd, Katie (1 October 2021). "A New Zealand family was feared dead after a mysterious disappearance. They had been camping the whole time". Washington Post.
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  17. ^ Smith, Laura (22 December 2021). "Marokopa family 'missing' again: Friend says Tom Phillips and his children going bush 'normal'". New Zealand Herald.
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  21. ^ Blommerde, Chloe (20 December 2021). "Marokopa family go bush again, no search initiated by police". Stuff. Archived from the original on 9 December 2022. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
  22. ^ Lefroy, Emily (20 December 2021). "Man and three children missing AGAIN after vanishing 3 months ago". Yahoo! News.
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  27. ^ a b "Missing family may have changed names, moved to another part of the country – police". RNZ. 26 August 2022.
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  57. ^ Caldwell, Ima (29 August 2025). "New Zelaand fugitive and one of his children spotted on CCTV after one of his children spotted on the run, police". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 29 August 2025. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
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  59. ^ a b c Maher, Rachel (10 September 2025). "Tom Phillips' eldest daughter Jayda told negotiators what to say to coax siblings out". The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 10 September 2025. Retrieved 11 September 2025.
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  65. ^ a b Morrah, Michael; Savage, Jared (10 September 2025), "Tom Phillips' son held rifle as armed police negotiators approached bush hideout", The New Zealand Herald, archived from the original on 10 September 2025, retrieved 10 September 2025
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  70. ^ Sherwood, Sam (10 September 2025). "Tom Phillips' family 'disturbed' documentary is being made". RNZ. Archived from the original on 10 September 2025. Retrieved 11 September 2025.
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