Man Shot Dead After 4 Years on the Run with His 3 Children
Tom Phillips’s four-year flight from justice ended in a tragic and violent shootout deep in the remote New Zealand bush. When police finally caught up to him, the confrontation turned deadly, and Tom lost his life. Miraculously, his three children—Ember, Maverick, and Jayda, aged 6, 7, and 8—were found alive just two kilometers from the scene, unharmed despite the harrowing circumstances.
Authorities confirmed the children had been alone when discovered and immediately began providing them with specialized care. Police emphasized that the children’s welfare and privacy remain their highest priority as they start the long and difficult process of recovery from their ordeal. The bushland where the family was found has been locked down as forensic teams continue to comb the area for evidence.
Investigators are working to piece together how Tom was able to live off the grid for so long with his children, and whether others in the community…
