Fugitive father and children spotted in countryside years after disappearance | World News

A father and his three children, who have been missing for three years, have been spotted walking through a rural area of ​​New Zealand.

After the “credible sighting” of Tom Phillips and his two daughters and son, officers launched a major search operation, according to police.

They were seen hiking through a bush area near Marokopa North Island of the country.

According to local media, Phillips, along with Jayda, 11, Maverick, 9, and Ember, 8, were spotted from a distance by a 16-year-old pig hunter.

They wore camouflage clothing and large camping backpacks – while the fleeing father was also reportedly seen holding a gun.

The four have been missing since December 2021, when Phillips took his children to an “unknown location,” according to police.

The children's mother, Cat, said she was overjoyed at the sight but also “overwhelmed” – as she urged Phillips to hand himself in to police.

She told that New Zealand Herald Newspaper: “It couldn’t be easier… It’s been almost three years.”

“It was like Christmas came early and I really thought they would come home this time.”

However, after Phillips and the children were spotted on Thursday, police have not yet been able to locate them despite the use of a military helicopter and other resources.

Cat criticized the official response to the sighting, describing it as “poor”.

She added: “More should have been done straight away…How can there not be more effort?”

“It is a confirmed sighting and yet nothing has come of it.”

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Earlier this summer, police offered $80,000 (£37,000) for information about the missing family members, although the deadline for the reward has now passed.

There have been numerous sightings since 2021, including in November 2023 when a suspect, believed to be Phillips, was caught on CCTV stealing a quad bike outside a rural home.

Police also suspect he was involved in an armed robbery at a bank in Te Kuiti in May 2023, with officers later issuing a warrant for his arrest.

Detective Inspector Andrew Saunders said: “While we cannot go into detail, we would like to reassure the public that we have the resources to respond to any information or reports of sightings that come in.”

“Our focus is very much on the safe return of Jayda, Maverick and Ember to their whānau (family) and we are doing everything we can to make this happen.”