Everything we know about four-year manhunt for three missing children as dad shot dead by police

A man who was on the run with his children in the New Zealand wilderness for almost four years was shot dead today (8 September), concluding a case that baffled investigators and the world.

Tom Phillips disappeared with his children - Ember, nine, Maverick, 10 and Jayda, 12 - in December 2021 and escaped police for years, who trawled through the densely forested area where they believed the family was hiding.

It's thought that the four were never to have travelled far from the isolated North Island rural settlement of Marokopa where they lived, however, over the years, credible sightings of them have been rare.

Today, the children's mother, Cat, is relieved that the 'ordeal' has finally come to an end after Phillips was shot dead by a police officer and the kids were found.

Tom Phillips went missing with his three children in December 2021 (New Zealand Police)

One child was with their dad at the time of the confrontation and the other two were found in the forest hours after the shootout, in which a police officer was shot in the head and critically injured.

New Zealand’s Acting Deputy Police Commissioner Jill Rogers told reporters in the city of Hamilton that Phillips was found after he robbed an agricultural supplies store in the rural area of Waikato, south of Auckland, early this morning.

So, as the unbelievable story is making news headlines again, let's recap everything you need to know about the case.

Who are the three children that went missing?

The three children who went missing for four years were Phillips' two daughters and one son, whom he shares with ex-wife Cat - Ember, Jayda and Maverick.

Although it has not been confirmed, according to the BBC, police believe he took his children after losing legal custody of them.

Limited pictures of the kids have been made public since they went missing and there is not a lot of information about them out there.

Authorities have said the children have not had access to formal education or healthcare since their disappearance.

There have been some small sightings of the family since they went missing, including one in October which saw the four be spotted by local hunters and caught on camera in New Zealand bushland.

They were dressed in camouflage gear, carrying rucksacks, when the sighting of them on a farm near the famous Waitomo Caves occurred.

New Zealand Police Acting Deputy Commissioner, Jill Rogers, shared the recent updates during a media briefing (DJ MILLS/AFP via Getty Images)

Who is Tom Phillips and why did he run away with his children?

Little is known about Phillips, but locals have described him as a bushman with survival skills that meant he would have known how to build shelter and forage for food in the wilderness, reports the BBC.

He is believed to be in his late thirties and was reportedly also an experienced hunter.

Although the reason has never been confirmed, it's been alleged that Phillips took the children after losing custody of them, while other reports say the move followed a dispute in their family home.

Though Cat previously mentioned some of Phillips' belongings still being at her home, the father did not have legal custody of his children after the couple had separated.

Speaking to the New Zealand Herald for a mini-documentary about the case last year, Andrew Saunders, who was Acting Detective Inspector at the time, said: "That's effectively why we believe he has taken the children, over custody."

The four-year manhunt explained

December 2021 wasn't actually the first time the children went missing, as Phillips and the kids vanished from his parents’ home in Marokopa just months before in September.

A big search effort followed for three weeks until the four arrived back home nine days later, with Phillips claiming that they went 'camping', but gave no other reason for the disappearance.

He was charged for wasting police resources at the time, following their return.

Then, the children and their father went missing again just before Christmas in 2021 and the case has gripped New Zealanders and the world since, while authorities made regular unsuccessful appeals for information and significant financial rewards were offered to those with information.

Sightings of Phillips were limited to surveillance footage that showed him allegedly committing crimes in the area.

There have been a handful of sighting's since the family's disappearance, some of which were caught on CCTV (1News)

The father was wanted for an armed bank robbery while on the run in May 2023, accompanied by one of his children, in which he reportedly shot at a member of the public.

In June 2023, police issued an $80,000 (£35,050) reward for any information that would lead to their location, however, no one with any useful knowledge came forward and the reward expired.

Then, in October 2024, they were spotted in farmland by pig hunters carrying large backpacks.

Reportedly, the hunters called out to them from around 60 metres away, and Jayda was the one to reply.

One of the poachers recalled: "I said, 'This is private property', and she was like, 'Yeah... duh'.

"Then I asked, 'Does anyone know you're on here?' and she said, 'No, just you guys'."

Finally, on 27 August, CCTV showed who police believed was Phillips and one of his kids breaking into a shop in the night.

What has the children's mother said?

The mum, who is simply going by her first name 'Cat' in the media, has done a few interviews to appeal for help throughout the years.

When the four were spotted in October, Cat spoke to Mata Reports, telling the publication: "Is that a cry for help? Is that 'Does anybody know that we're here? Is anyone coming for us?'

"We don't get to hear the tone of her voice but to me, that's what I think.

"It's like she's trying to say something without actually saying something because her father is right there, and she's worried if she says the wrong thing and words it the wrong way, she's worried about later repercussions."

She added: "I can't imagine what they've endured in these three years, it's just wrong on so many levels. The system has failed my children miserably from the get-go.

The children's mother, Cat, thought her daughter was 'crying out for help' after the family were spotted in October (YouTube/RNZ)

"They shouldn't have to live like this, they deserve so much more. They deserve to have friends, they deserve to go to the park and eat McDonald's."

And now, after the news of Phillips' death, Cat told New Zealand Radio: "First and foremost, we are deeply relieved that for our tamariki [children] this ordeal has come to an end. They have been dearly missed every day for nearly four years, and we are looking forward to welcoming them home with love and care."

As reported by the BBC, in a statement to RNZ, a local media outlet, Cat also said she was 'saddened by the events that unfolded today', and expressed her 'deepest love' to the police officer who was injured.

She continued: "At the same time, we are saddened by how events unfolded today. Our hope has always been that the children could be returned in a peaceful and safe way for everyone involved."

What has Tom Phillips' family said?

Phillips' own family even appealed for him to come home after last month's sighting.

According to the BBC, his mother wrote: "Everyday I wake up and hope that today will be the day that you all come home."

While his sister, Rozzi Phillips, told New Zealand news website Stuff: "I miss you, and I miss being part of your life, and I really want to see you and the kids and be part of your lives again."

She also showed the outlet a handwritten note from their mother, reading: "Tom - I feel really sad that you thought you had to do this. Not considering how much we love you and can support you. It hurts every time I see photos of the children and of you and see some of your stuff that is still here.

"Jayda, Maverick, Ember - I love you so much and really miss being part of your lives."

Now, after Phillips has died and the children have been found, there are still unanswered questions surrounding the story that we may never know the answers to, including why he left in the first place and why the family fled to the wilderness.