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The disappearance of a New Zealand father with his children in a forest for several years before his death has prompted the government to launch a major inquiry into potential failures by official agencies.
New Zealand’s Attorney General Judith Collins announced Thursday that the public inquiry will examine “whether government agencies took all practicable steps to protect the safety and welfare” of Tom Phillips’ children during the family’s prolonged disappearance.
The investigation comes amid public outrage over how Phillips, who was involved in family court proceedings, managed to evade authorities for years while forcing his three children to live in harsh conditions in remote wilderness, deprived of healthcare and education.
Phillips first vanished with his children—then aged 5, 7, and 8—from the small rural community of Marokopa on New Zealand’s North Island in December 2021. The family was only found in September this year when police discovered the children at a makeshift campsite shortly after their father was killed during a confrontation with officers following a robbery. During the incident, a police officer was shot in the head and critically wounded.
The tragedy represents the culmination of a saga that began well before the public became aware of the Phillips family in 2021. According to government documents outlining the inquiry’s terms, the children had been the subject of family court proceedings regarding their care since 2018.
The new investigation, led by prominent lawyer and former High Court judge Simon Moore, will scrutinize both the period before the family’s disappearance and the subsequent years they remained missing. The inquiry must determine if officials did everything possible to prevent the children’s disappearance and protect their welfare during the 3.5-year period when they were missing.
What has particularly troubled the New Zealand public is that Phillips had vanished with his children once before. Just three months prior to their December 2021 disappearance, Phillips had triggered a massive search operation when his truck was found abandoned on a beach with no trace of the family. Authorities had initially feared they had drowned, but Phillips and the children emerged from the forest three weeks later, claiming they had simply been camping.
Phillips was scheduled to appear in court to face charges for wasting police resources when he disappeared a second time—this time for much longer.
Persistent questions surround law enforcement’s search efforts during the extended disappearance. Despite multiple reported sightings placing Phillips near his original disappearance location and his involvement in robberies while in hiding, the family remained undiscovered for years.
The final confrontation occurred in the early morning hours this September when Phillips and one of his children were stopped by a police officer as they fled from a robbery at a farming supplies store in Waitomo. The officer was shot at close range, surviving but requiring multiple surgeries. When additional officers arrived at the scene, Phillips was fatally shot. The child with him was taken into custody and later helped authorities locate the campsite where the remaining children were waiting.
Law enforcement photos released of the family’s encampments revealed grim, squalid conditions. Officials also reported finding firearms among the family’s belongings.
The New Zealand public has raised serious concerns about the timing and thoroughness of the police search. Critics have questioned why police appeals for public assistance in locating the family only began well after they disappeared, coinciding with Phillips being implicated in an armed robbery rather than concerns for the children’s welfare.
Authorities later offered a substantial reward for information leading to the family’s discovery, but it was never claimed. Police believe Phillips received assistance from others in the area during his time in hiding, and investigations continue to identify potential accomplices.
The case has captivated New Zealand and drawn international media attention, with a documentary about the case currently in production. Since the children were recovered, court orders have restricted reporting on certain aspects of the case, with some news outlets challenging these rulings.
The public inquiry is expected to deliver its final report by July 2026. Officials have not disclosed the current whereabouts of the children, citing privacy concerns.
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13 Comments
While the details are disturbing, I’m glad the New Zealand government is launching a full inquiry to understand what happened and enact reforms. Protecting vulnerable children should be the top priority, and this case clearly reveals systemic failures that need to be addressed.
I agree, a thorough investigation is critical to prevent such tragedies from occurring again. The public deserves answers and assurances that the proper safeguards are in place to keep children safe, even in the most challenging family situations.
This is a deeply upsetting case that exposes serious gaps in New Zealand’s child protection system. The fact that a father could evade authorities for years while subjecting his children to such deprivation is truly horrifying. Urgent reform is clearly needed.
You’re absolutely right. This case is a wake-up call that the system failed these innocent children. The inquiry must leave no stone unturned to determine what went wrong and ensure comprehensive changes are made to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
How heartbreaking. It’s unimaginable that a father could subject his own children to such deprivation and danger for years. This raises serious questions about the effectiveness of child protection services and family court proceedings in New Zealand.
You’re right, this is a devastating failure that should never have happened. The inquiry needs to thoroughly examine where the system broke down and implement robust safeguards to ensure the wellbeing of vulnerable children going forward.
Clearly, there were major failures in the child welfare system that enabled this father to hide his children in the wilderness for years. While the details are disturbing, I’m hopeful the government’s inquiry will lead to meaningful reforms to better protect vulnerable children.
I share your hope that this inquiry will spark much-needed changes. The safety and wellbeing of children should be the top priority, and this case demonstrates unacceptable gaps in the system that must be addressed with urgency.
This case is deeply troubling. While the details are still emerging, it’s clear that the government failed to protect these vulnerable children. A full investigation is warranted to identify any systemic issues that allowed this tragedy to occur and ensure it never happens again.
Agreed. The welfare and safety of children should be the top priority. Hopefully the inquiry will shed light on what went wrong and lead to meaningful reforms to prevent similar situations in the future.
This is a heartbreaking situation that raises serious questions about the effectiveness of New Zealand’s child protection mechanisms. While the details are still emerging, it’s clear that the authorities failed these children in a profound way. A comprehensive investigation is absolutely necessary.
This is a shocking and tragic case. My heart goes out to those poor children who endured such extreme hardship due to their father’s actions. The authorities must get to the bottom of this and take steps to prevent similar situations from occurring again.
Absolutely. This is a horrific breach of the duty to protect children. The government owes it to these victims to conduct a rigorous, transparent investigation and make comprehensive changes to child welfare policies and procedures.