Missing children spotted in New Zealand three years after disappearance

The mother of three missing children has broken her silence after they were spotted hiking in a remote central North Island farmland.

In September 2021, Tom Phillips and his children; Jayda, 8, Maverick, 6, and Ember, 5, disappeared. The family returned home after three weeks with Phillips claiming he had taken his children on a camping trip. Authorities issued an arrest warrant for Phillips but he failed to turn up to court on 12 January.

He, once again, made a brief return home in February and said the children were safe before leaving again.

The children's mother Cat instantly recognised her children in the new footage and was "relieved" they were all alive.

Speaking to the NZ Herald, an emotional Cat said "I’m so happy that they’re all there."

In a separate conversation with Mihi Forbes on Saturday Morning, Cat said: "I wouldn't wish this situation on anybody, not even on my worst enemy. It's... wrong. That's all it is."

"They are who I am, and since they've been gone, I've lost my way. I'm not me. I'm lost. I'm lost without them.

"They were my world, my reason for being - and that was my only job in life, was my children.

"I feel like I've failed them miserably. I didn't fight hard enough. I didn't make enough noise.... I should have done more."

John McOviney said his grandchild was the person who came across the missing family in the early evening. He said they were all wearing masks.

He said: "The children asked: 'Who else knows we’re here?'

"And then they just kept on walking. They were all packed up, they had big packs on. I think the father sort of kept them moving."

When the sighting was reported, police sent two helicopters and patrols but failed to track down the family after three days of searching.

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