Three children who spent almost four years living in remote New Zealand bushland with their father are in the care of Oranga Tamariki after their father was shot dead by police following a shootout, authorities said.
Oranga Tamariki, the government ministry responsible for the well‑being of children, said it had worked alongside police for years preparing for the children’s recovery and has a plan in place to safeguard their privacy and welfare. The siblings — Jayda, 12; Maverick, 10; and Ember, 9 — were located on Monday after coming to the attention of officers following the fatal confrontation.
Police Commissioner Richard Chambers said the campsite where Maverick and Ember were found was in dense bush about 2 kilometres from the location where their father, Tom Phillips, was shot. Jayda was with Phillips when he was killed and provided information that led officers to the other two children, Chambers said. Multiple firearms were discovered at the campsite, prompting officers to approach cautiously because of the threat they posed.
"We needed to ensure that the way we approached it yesterday continued to ensure their safety and also safety of my staff," Chambers said, adding that investigators were interested in how Phillips obtained the weapons and whether anyone else was involved. "No one who does this to children, no one who unleashes high‑powered rifles on my staff is a hero. Simple as that."
Ōtorohanga district mayor Max Baxter said the community expected police to act to protect officers and the public. "The police had no alternative" but to return fire after Phillips shot at an officer, Baxter told 1News. He also expressed concern for the children and the need for professional support after they were raised off the grid for years.
Oranga Tamariki spokesman Warwick Morehu said on Tuesday that the ministry had been preparing for the children's arrival for some time alongside police. "We acknowledge the understandable public interest in this case, but that does not — and never will — outweigh our duty to protect these children's privacy," Morehu said. He confirmed the children were together, settled and engaging with staff, and that the ministry would provide whatever help was required "for however long they may need it."
Police Minister Mark Mitchell said the children "have seen and been exposed to things that children in our country should not be." He and other officials said the children would be given time to settle; police acknowledged they would eventually need to be interviewed as part of the ongoing investigation.
Phillips and the three children disappeared from the isolated rural Waikato town of Marokopa on Dec. 9, 2021. The family was sighted at least once in October 2024 walking through farmland in the area. Chambers said police had frequently searched the vast region over the last four years and that it was "highly likely" they had once been very close to the family.
Images released by police of the campsite show quad bikes, blankets draped across vehicles and containers among trees. Chambers said investigators would look at what modes of transport Phillips may have used and whether others assisted him in evading authorities.
Authorities have not confirmed whether the children have been reunited with their mother, identified in local reporting as Cat. Investigators are continuing to examine the circumstances that allowed Phillips to live with his children in remote bushland for years and the origins of the firearms found at the site. Officials said protecting the children's privacy and wellbeing remains the immediate priority as inquiries proceed.