Family of dad who has vanished with his three children into wilderness for four years make new plea

The family of a fugitive father-of-three who vanished with his children nearly four years ago have made a public plea urging him to 'come home'.

Authorities have been unable to track down Tom Phillips and his kids, Jayda, 12, Maverick, 10, and Ember, 9, since they went AWOL on 9 December 2021.

The dad disappeared into the New Zealand wilderness with his children three years and eight months ago, and despite a handful of sightings, their current whereabouts continue to remain unknown.

The children's mother, Cat, has been clinging onto these leads over the last few years, hoping that one of them will pay off and help her reunite with Jayda, Maverick and Ember.

Phillips - who does not have legal custody of the kids - absconded with the trio after a dispute with Cat, and this came several weeks after he vanished with them for 19 days.

He eventually returned with the youngsters, telling relatives that he had taken his brood on an impromptu camping trip in dense bushland.

Tom Phillips' family have pleaded with him to give himself up (New Zealand Police)

Authorities charged Phillips with wasting police time and resources, so he was then given a court date to attend on 12 January - but by that time, he had already gone missing again with the kids.

As he failed to appear, a warrant was issued for his arrest.

Reports claim the dad did return home on 9 February for a short period, informing his family they were all okay, but would not reveal their location, and he then vanished once again.

In October last year, police announced there had been a 'credible sighting' of the foursome on a farm in the region of Waikato, as two teens reported having a brief chat with the family.

But the trail went cold once again.

Now, for the first time, Phillips' family has sat down for a rare interview to beg him to abandon the bush and return to civilisation.

Ember, Maverick, and Jayda disappeared with their dad in December 2021 (New Zealand Police)

"Maybe he's going to see this, and maybe he's going to get to see that he can come home, and that we are here for him, and it might just be okay," his sister Rozzi told journalist Paddy Gower, as per the New Zealand outlet Stuff.

"There's a lot of love and there's a lot of support, and we're ready to help you walk through what you need to walk through.

"I miss you, and I miss being part of your life, and I really want to see you and the kids and be part of your lives again. You're very special to me.

"You’re my friend, as well as my brother, and I love you, and it’s okay. No day that goes by that I don’t think about all four of them."

She explained that her brother was an accomplished bushman who learned the tricks of the trade from their father, while he also took part in a six-month outdoor survival skills programme while studying at St Paul’s Collegiate School.

Rozzi reckons that Phillips will have built a hut or a 'nest' to house his children in while navigating life in the wilderness, while adding that she doesn't believe 'that he would have the children suffering'.

Addressing her nieces and nephew, Rozzi said she was 'proud' to be their aunt, that she'd 'love' to see them again and 'know for herself that all is truly well in their world'.

The distraught sister also produced a letter which had been penned by her mother, Julia, to Phillips, saying the words came 'from a mother’s heart, just to her son'.

The father-of-three was spotted with his kids in Waikato last year (YouTube/1News)

It read: "Tom - I feel really sad that you thought you had to do this. Not considering how much we love you and can support you.

"It hurts every time I see photos of the children and of you and see some of your stuff that is still here. Thinking what could have been if you had not gone away.

"Jayda, Maverick, Ember - I love you so much and really miss being part of your lives. Everyday I wake up and hope that today will be the day that you will come home."

Police offered an $80,000 reward for information which led to the location and safe return of Phillips and the three children in June last year.

An expert previously explained why military equipment can't be used to track them down after calls for the New Zealand Special Air Service (NZSAS) - the country's equivalent of Britain's SAS - to step in.

Last year, Phillips' half-sister Jubilee also revealed the contents of the last conversation she had with the dad before he disappeared.