Government Launches Independent Investigation into Child Welfare Failures
The New Zealand government has announced a comprehensive public inquiry into the troubling case of Tom Phillips, a father who disappeared with his three children into remote forest areas for nearly four years. Attorney-General Judith Collins confirmed the independent investigation will scrutinise whether government agencies took all practicable steps to protect the safety and welfare of the children during their prolonged disappearance.
Years of Isolation in Bush Campsites
Phillips originally vanished from the rural township of Marokopa in December 2021 with his three children, then aged just 5, 7, and 8 years old. During their years in hiding, he forced the children to live in basic campsites deep in the bush, completely cut off from normal society. The children were denied access to essential education and healthcare services throughout their ordeal.
The situation reached a violent conclusion in September this year when Phillips was shot dead by police following an armed robbery at a farming supplies store in Waitomo. During the confrontation, a police officer was shot in the head at close range and critically injured, though he survived and faces multiple surgeries. One of Phillips' children was present during the shooting, while the other two were located at a makeshift campsite shortly afterwards.
Previous Disappearance and Missed Opportunities
This wasn't the family's first disappearance. Three months before their December 2021 vanishing, Phillips had triggered a massive search operation when his truck was found abandoned on a beach with no trace of him or the children. Authorities initially presumed the family had drowned, only for Phillips to reappear three weeks later claiming they had been camping. He was due to face charges for wasting police resources when he disappeared again, this time for good.
The inquiry, led by prominent lawyer and former High Court judge Simon Moore, will examine why numerous sightings of Phillips near his original disappearance location didn't lead to the children being found sooner. It will also investigate whether officials did enough to prevent the children's initial disappearance, given that Family Court proceedings concerning their care had been ongoing since 2018.
Law enforcement photos released of the family's campsites revealed grim and squalid living conditions, with officials confirming the discovery of firearms among their belongings. The children's current whereabouts remain undisclosed to protect their privacy, while news outlets face reporting restrictions on certain case details.
The inquiry is expected to deliver its final report by July 2026, determining whether government agencies appropriately engaged with the Family Court and took all possible steps to locate and recover the children during their years in hiding.
