Family of father on run for years with three children in dense wilderness urges him to come home
Brisbane, Australia — The family of a fugitive father who's been hiding his three children in the dense New Zealand wilderness for nearly four years has spoken publicly for the first time since they disappeared.
Thomas Callam Phillips vanished with his children in December 2021, and despite several sightings, appeals for help, and a police search, the family's location remains unknown.
Police are seriously concerned for the children, Ember, Maverick, and Jayda – believed to be ages 9, 10 and 12, respectively – who've had no contact with their mother since their father failed to bring them home.
Jayda, Maverick and Ember
Jayda, Maverick and Ember have been missing with their father in the New Zealand wilderness since December 2021. (New Zealand Police via CNN Newsource)
In her first interview since her brother disappeared, Rozzi Phillips told New Zealand journalist Paddy Gower how much the family misses him and wants him to return.
'I miss you, and I miss being part of your life,' she said, her voice breaking. 'You're very special to me… I really want to see you again.'
Rozzi Phillips also read out a handwritten letter from their mother to her missing son, who is now wanted by police on multiple charges.
'It hurts every time I see photos of the children and of you and see some of your stuff that is still here, thinking what could have been if you had not gone away,' the letter said, according to New Zealand news site Stuff.
'Jayda, Maverick, Ember, I love you so much and really miss being part of your lives every day I wake up, and hope that today will be the day that you will come,' it continued.
It's unclear if his family's appeals for help will reach Phillips, who New Zealand Police believe is living off-grid, using his survival skills to feed, shelter and clothe his children.
Last June police offered a reward of 80,000 New Zealand dollars ($52,000) for information leading to their location and safe return.
Phillips is wanted for a series of alleged crimes, including the armed robbery of a bank in May 2023, when two people were seen on closed circuit television escaping on a motorbike with cash.
New Zealand Police later named Phillips as the suspect, and said he was aided by a female accomplice. Both were said to be armed.
In November 2023, Phillips and an unnamed child are also alleged to have smashed the window of a shop at 2 a.m., before fleeing on a stolen quad bike. Phillips has also been seen on CCTV, with his face covered, buying supplies in a hardware store.
'We know Tom has been sighted at retail locations across the Waikato region disguised with various masks,' police said in a statement at the time.
When contacted by CNN Tuesday, New Zealand Police said there were no updates about the police investigation.
Police and local authorities believe supporters are helping Phillips to remain at large.
Rozzi Philipps told Gower that she had had no contact with her brother since he disappeared.
Asked why she was speaking out now, almost four years after her brother's disappearance, she said: 'In the hope that just maybe, maybe he's going to see this, and maybe he's going to get to see that he can come home, and that we are here for him, and it might just be okay.'
Last year, the children's mother, who identified herself as Cat, made an emotional appeal to anyone with information on her children's whereabouts to call the police.
'I'm standing here before you today, begging you for your help to bring my babies home,' she said in a video posted to Facebook. 'They are just innocent children.'
Of Jayda, she said, 'She will be a young woman now, and she needs her mother.'
'Ember is asthmatic, as am I, and she needs medical care that cannot be provided from the land. And I can only imagine how Maverick is coping,' she added.
'What Thomas is doing is not okay,' she said. 'None of this is okay. My babies deserve better.'
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Family of father on run for years with three children in dense wilderness urges him to come home
Thomas Callam Phillips and his children were officially reported as missing by family members in December 2021. (New Zealand Police via CNN Newsource) Brisbane, Australia — The family of a fugitive father who's been hiding his three children in the dense New Zealand wilderness for nearly four years has spoken publicly for the first time since they disappeared. Thomas Callam Phillips vanished with his children in December 2021, and despite several sightings, appeals for help, and a police search, the family's location remains unknown. Police are seriously concerned for the children, Ember, Maverick, and Jayda – believed to be ages 9, 10 and 12, respectively – who've had no contact with their mother since their father failed to bring them home. Jayda, Maverick and Ember Jayda, Maverick and Ember have been missing with their father in the New Zealand wilderness since December 2021. (New Zealand Police via CNN Newsource) In her first interview since her brother disappeared, Rozzi Phillips told New Zealand journalist Paddy Gower how much the family misses him and wants him to return. 'I miss you, and I miss being part of your life,' she said, her voice breaking. 'You're very special to me… I really want to see you again.' Rozzi Phillips also read out a handwritten letter from their mother to her missing son, who is now wanted by police on multiple charges. 'It hurts every time I see photos of the children and of you and see some of your stuff that is still here, thinking what could have been if you had not gone away,' the letter said, according to New Zealand news site Stuff. 'Jayda, Maverick, Ember, I love you so much and really miss being part of your lives every day I wake up, and hope that today will be the day that you will come,' it continued. It's unclear if his family's appeals for help will reach Phillips, who New Zealand Police believe is living off-grid, using his survival skills to feed, shelter and clothe his children. Last June police offered a reward of 80,000 New Zealand dollars ($52,000) for information leading to their location and safe return. Phillips is wanted for a series of alleged crimes, including the armed robbery of a bank in May 2023, when two people were seen on closed circuit television escaping on a motorbike with cash. New Zealand Police later named Phillips as the suspect, and said he was aided by a female accomplice. Both were said to be armed. In November 2023, Phillips and an unnamed child are also alleged to have smashed the window of a shop at 2 a.m., before fleeing on a stolen quad bike. Phillips has also been seen on CCTV, with his face covered, buying supplies in a hardware store. 'We know Tom has been sighted at retail locations across the Waikato region disguised with various masks,' police said in a statement at the time. When contacted by CNN Tuesday, New Zealand Police said there were no updates about the police investigation. Police and local authorities believe supporters are helping Phillips to remain at large. Rozzi Philipps told Gower that she had had no contact with her brother since he disappeared. Asked why she was speaking out now, almost four years after her brother's disappearance, she said: 'In the hope that just maybe, maybe he's going to see this, and maybe he's going to get to see that he can come home, and that we are here for him, and it might just be okay.' Last year, the children's mother, who identified herself as Cat, made an emotional appeal to anyone with information on her children's whereabouts to call the police. 'I'm standing here before you today, begging you for your help to bring my babies home,' she said in a video posted to Facebook. 'They are just innocent children.' Of Jayda, she said, 'She will be a young woman now, and she needs her mother.' 'Ember is asthmatic, as am I, and she needs medical care that cannot be provided from the land. And I can only imagine how Maverick is coping,' she added. 'What Thomas is doing is not okay,' she said. 'None of this is okay. My babies deserve better.'
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