Shocking new photos show bush campsite where Tom Phillips’ children were found hiding: ‘Exposed to things that children in our country should not be’
New photos have emerged of the remote campsite where police discovered Tom Phillips’ children hours after the New Zealand fugitive was shot dead by police.
Phillips, who had been on the run with his kids, Ember, nine, Maverick, 10, and Jayda, 12, for almost four years, was killed in western Waikato on the upper North Island on Monday morning.
Police confronted Phillips and Jayda on a quad bike following an armed robbery at a farm supply shop in the rural town of Piopio.
His two younger children were located at a campsite 2km from the deadly shootout hours later.
Police have released images of the campsite, which show quad bikes with blankets draped over them, parked among the trees. Two cans of Sprite were pictured on one of the tyres while a large container was on the ground.
‘Our investigation will help determine what other modes of transport he may have used or others may have helped with,’ New Zealand Police Commissioner Richard Chambers said on Tuesday.
‘No one who does this to children, no one who unleashes high-powered rifles on my staff is a hero. Simple as that.’
Police Minister Mark Mitchell added: ‘They have seen and been exposed to things that children in our country should not be.’
Police will give the children time to settle but conceded there would come a time when they would need to be interviewed.
New photos have emerged of the remote campsite where police discovered Tom Phillips’ children hours after the New Zealand fugitive was shot dead by police
Ember, nine, Maverick, 10, and Jayda, 12, are currently in the care of authorities after spending almost four years on the run with their father, who was shot dead on Monday
The children remain in the care of authorities, which would not comment on whether they had seen their mother Cat.
‘I can confirm that the children are settled they are doing well under the circumstances and engaging with the staff,’ Oranga Tamariki regional commissioner Warwick Morehu said.
‘They are settled, they are comfortable. They are together.
‘I want to assure you all that these tamariki (children) will be provided with whatever help assistance they may need for however long they may need it.’
Multiple firearms were located at the campsite where the children were located.
‘We are interested in how Mr Phillips was able to access multiple firearms,’ Commissioner Chambers said.
‘There’s a lot of work to do over the next few months that will help us determine whether or not there is anybody else that’s been involved.’
He also revealed how close police had come to tracking down the missing family in previous searches.
‘Over the last four years, we have covered this terrain, this region a lot,’ Commissioner Chambers said.
‘It’s highly likely that we’ve been very, very close.’
Phillips vanished from the rural town of Marokopa on the North Island in December 2021 with his three children following a custody dispute with their mother.
The two younger children were found at a remote campsite (pictured) located 2km from the deadly shootout
Photos of the campsite released by police show quad bikes with blankets draped over them, parked among the trees
Fugitive Tom Phillips was killed during a shootout with police
The quad bike remains at the scene of deadly shootout on Tuesday
Despite an NZ$80,000 reward and multiple search operations, the family had been living in the wilderness ever since.
On Monday morning, Phillips and Jayda were spotted stealing from a PGG Wrightson farm supply store in Piopio.
A witness called police at about 2.30am, describing them as being in ‘farm clothing’ and wearing headlamps.
Phillips and Jayda took off on their quad bike, but were stopped by police road spikes about 33km away on Te Anga Road at 3.30am.
Phillips then confronted a lone officer and shot him in the head with a high-powered rifle.
When backup arrived, police returned fire, killing Phillips.
Jayda was taken into custody.
Phillips’ two other children, Maverick and Ember, were not present when he was shot, sparking an urgent bush search for the pair.
Police revealed on Monday that Jayda provided ‘vital information to ensure a safe approach’ to help find the other kids.
Jayda, Maverick and Ember (all pictured) are settling well in the care of authorities after spending almost four years in the wilderness
Phillips and Jayda took off on their quad bike, and were stopped by police road spikes about 33km away on Te Anga Road at 3.30am
Mr Mitchell said Phillips had ‘multiple high-powered firearms’ and was ‘very unstable in his thinking’.
‘I think the whole country has seen play out in the last 24 hours just how dangerous the situation was and how it could have ended an even worse tragedy, and that would have been the loss of one, two or three young lives,’ Mr Mitchell said.
Commissioner Chambers said the officer shot by Phillips spent ‘a good chunk’ of Monday in surgery with serious injuries to his head and shoulder.
‘It was very, very close for him,’ he said.
The children’s mother Cat broke her silence in a statement, saying she was relieved the ordeal had 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,’ she said.
Members of the media stand on the side of a road where a police shootout occurred near the town of Piopio
‘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.’
