'Please come out': Mayor pleads with Marokopa dad on the run with children

Thursday, 2 June 2022

Ōtorohanga Mayor Max Baxter appeals to Tom Phillips to turn himself in and return his children to safety.

Tom, your time is up.

That’s the message from Ōtorohanga mayor Max Baxter who says the community is fed up with seeing their town in the headlines because of wanted man Thomas Phillips.

Phillips went missing in December and is thought to have taken his three children into the dense bushland of Marokopa for a second time after sparking a massive manhunt the first time he went bush in September last year.

He failed to show up in court on a charge of wasting police resources in relation to his first disappearance and a warrant has been issued for his arrest.

**READ MORE:

Ōtorohanga Mayor Max Baxter is calling for Thomas Phillips to come out of hiding for the sake of his children.

* Wanted Marokopa dad still on the run more than one week after court no-show

* Marokopa dad Thomas Phillips a no-show in court on charge of wasting police time

* Police working with family as Marokopa man takes kids bush again

Thomas Phillips has a house in Otorohanga.

Phillips has a home in Ōtorohanga, and Baxter said people talked about the missing family in passing – and were fed up with the saga.

Baxter urged Phillips to do the right thing, and return to society with his children.

“Please come out,” he said.

Baxter said he felt for the family and friends, who wanted to know if the children – all under 10 years old – were safe.

The Phillips children, from left Ember, Jayda Jin and Maverick, have been in the bush with their father for almost six months.

“I don’t doubt not a minute goes by where they don’t worry about the children.

“As a community leader, we don’t wish this on anyone in our patch. Wishing for the best outcome for everyone.”

Baxter said he knew adults who wouldn’t cope with more than a few days in the bush.

He didn’t doubt the hardiness of the family – but winter was here, and the weather was only getting worse.

The last confirmed sighting of Phillips was by his parents in February.

“At some point Tom has to come out,” Baxter said.

It had almost been six months since Phillips disappeared with the children, and he said their “time was up”.

Someone was almost certainly helping Phillips, Baxter said and he encouraged that person, or people, to come forward.

He said the police were trying their best under the circumstances and were faced with trying to find a seasoned bushman in a few thousand hectares of forest, with limited resources.

A large gate outside Thomas Phillips’ house in Ōtorohanga is closed and overgrown.

Baxter joins the children’s mother, who was also pleading for the public’s help to find the children.

She said in a statement released by police on Monday that she was beside herself with worry.

This was the second time her children had gone missing, and she said it was hard to believe they were again asking for the public’s help.

“As people can imagine, we are beside ourselves with worry and need more than anything to know the kids are well.”

A police spokeswoman said the public had come forward with further information since that appeal.

“We are currently assessing this information and will follow it up as required.”

Phillips was briefly seen by his parents in Marokopa when he returned to collect supplies in February, but he has not been spotted since.

The police recently took to the air to search for the family after possible sightings in the past few weeks, but would not give more details.

A woman whose property overlooked Phillips’ Ōtorohanga house said she had previously seen him building a fence and the children riding their bikes.

She hadn’t seen him for ages, but said he looked like a “nice chap”.

She hoped they were found for the children’s sake, especially as winter had arrived.

Another woman, who lived nearby, was also worried about the children.

She said she knew of Phillips, but hadn’t talked to him or seen him in months.