The sister of a man who reportedly took his children into the wilderness has shared her first public statement, making an emotional appeal.
Tom Phillips is said to have been living in the New Zealand wilderness with his three children, Jayda, 12, Maverick, 10, and Ember, nine, since 2021. This followed a legal custody dispute with their mother, Cat.
Despite a comprehensive search over the past four years, no conclusive evidence has been found of Tom and the children’s whereabouts. The last reported sighting of the family was on October 3 of the previous year.
A group of young pig hunters reportedly came across Tom and the children walking through the Marokopa bush and recorded a video of the encounter.
Cat expressed her appreciation for the teens who captured the footage, comparing the moment to an early Christmas, but she voiced concerns that her former partner may be using the children as “pawns” to “teach [her] a lesson.”
In a new development, Tom’s family has issued a heartfelt appeal to him directly.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with the New Zealand news outlet Stuff, his sister Rozzi Phillips opened up about the emotional impact of his disappearance on the family.
During the interview, Rozzi shared that her efforts to contact her brother over the past four years have been unsuccessful, with her messages going unanswered despite being marked as delivered.
Hoping that Tom might hear her message, Rozzi said: “There’s a lot of love and there’s a lot of support and we’re ready to help you walk through what you need to walk through.
“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.
“You’re very special to me and you’re my friend as well as my brother and I love you and it’s OK.
“I want to see you again. I really want to see you again.”
Addressing the children, she said: “I’m proud to be your auntie. I took a lot of joy in being a part of your lives and I’d love to see you again and be part of your lives again and know for myself that all is truly well in your world.”
Rozzi expressed that before his disappearance in 2021, Tom was a ‘top man’ and a ‘good brother’ who cherished his children and family.
She also mentioned his skills as a hunter, scavenger, and builder, suggesting that he might have constructed a shelter for them.
“I don’t believe that he would have the children suffering,” she stated.
Rozzi hinted that Tom might be staying hidden to prevent the children from being placed in state care if he were to surrender.
Explaining her decision to speak out now, Rozzi 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 OK.”
The authorities have issued a warrant for Tom’s arrest in connection with an alleged armed bank robbery. They suspect he might have had assistance and could be receiving help from others to evade capture.
“Part of me hopes he is being helped so that he has people he can rely on to help him,” Rozzi said. “But at the same time, I’ll be very angry with anyone that is helping him and not telling us how they’re doing.”
A reward of NZ $80,000 (US $47,000) has been offered for information leading to the discovery of Tom and the children.