The mother of the three missing Phillips children is “relieved” the youngsters are alive after seeing them in a video for the first time in almost three years.
Footage has emerged of Tom Phillips and his three children, Jayda, 11, Maverick, 9, and Ember, 8, tramping in remote central North Island farmland, wearing camo gear and carrying large packs after a chance encounter with pig hunters.
Their mother, Cat, was emotional when she spoke to the Herald about getting proof her three children – whom she last saw in 2021 – were alive and seemingly in good health.
She instantly recognised each child, captured briefly on a phone camera walking in single file along rugged farm terrain.
“I’m so happy that they’re all there.
“I’m so relieved to see all three of my babies. They’re all alive.”
The encounter in Marokopa bush, which sparked a fresh police hunt for the fugitive father, included the children speaking to the hunters briefly, asking if “anyone knew they were there”.
John McOviney said his 16-year-old grandchild was one of the pig hunters out on his farm on Thursday who came across the man and three children about 6.30pm.
He said they were all wearing masks and were only 20m from the hunters.
“The children asked: ‘Who else knows we’re here?’
“And then they just kept on walking. They were all packed up, they had big packs on. I think the father sort of kept them moving.”
He said there was a lot of bush on his farm and it was “quite isolated”.
Tom Phillips and his three children, Ember, Maverick and Jayda were spotted in the Marokopa bush last Thursday by pig hunters.
Speaking to Newstalk ZB, McOviney said when his grandson saw Phillips was carrying a gun they didn’t take the interaction any further, but he called 111 and spoke to police right away. The video footage was sent to police.
Police were dispatched on Thursday night after receiving a tip Phillips had been seen in bush west of Coutts Rd in Marokopa with the three children.
“Patrols began in the area on Thursday night and a search was launched the following morning,” Detective Inspector Andrew Saunders said.
Tom Phillips (top left) and his three children, Jayda, Maverick and Ember.
“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.
“For operational security reasons, we are not providing details of when police arrived on the ground, or specific details around the resources involved.”
Saunders said Thursday’s sighting has opened “a positive line of inquiry” that is now being looked into by investigators.
“While we cannot go into detail, we want to reassure the public that we have the resources in place to respond to any information or reports of sightings that come in.
“Our focus is very much on the safe return of Jayda, Maverick and Ember to their whānau and we are doing all that we can to make that happen,” Saunders said.
Phillips vanished for the first time with his three young children on September 11, 2021.
The family returned home three weeks later but on December 9, an arrest warrant was issued for Phillips after he failed to appear in court.
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