New Zealand authorities have announced a reward and immunity from prosecution for anyone who can assist in locating three missing children who disappeared with their father over two years ago from a remote rural community. The children, now aged 8, 9, and 10, along with their father, Tom Phillips, vanished in December 2021, sparking a puzzling case that has left investigators baffled.
Despite being believed to have not traveled far from their rural settlement, there have been no credible sightings of the family for months. Phillips is accused of an armed bank robbery in May 2023, during which he allegedly shot at a member of the public and fled on a motorbike with one of his children, for whom he no longer has legal custody rights.
Authorities expressed concerns for the children's welfare, noting that they have been living in isolation without access to formal education or healthcare since their disappearance. The reward of 80,000 New Zealand dollars and immunity from prosecution are being offered to individuals who may have information on the family's whereabouts, with authorities suspecting that Phillips has received help in concealing his family.
This is not the first time Phillips has made headlines for disappearing with his children. In September 2021, the family went missing, prompting a large-scale search that was eventually called off when they emerged from dense forest where Phillips claimed they had been camping. However, weeks before his court appearance for wasting police resources, Phillips and the children vanished again, leading authorities to believe they may have relocated and changed their identities.
Recent sightings of Phillips in the same region where he disappeared reignited the search efforts, culminating in the reward announcement. The children's mother has expressed gratitude for the reward, as authorities urge anyone with information to come forward promptly to help locate the missing children.
