The mother of three children who have been missing with their fugitive father for almost three years has revealed she saw them at Bunnings last year, as a criminal psychologist expressed concern about the “abnormal” life they have been living off the land.
Cat, mother of three children (Jayda, 11, Maverick, 9, and Ember, 8), who were seen with her father Tom Phillips on October 3, recalled seeing her ex-partner as he walked past a van in Hamilton Bunnings parking lot. last August.
Phillips and the children first went missing in 2021, launching a costly search campaign before being captured and fleeing again two weeks later.
In an interview on Wednesday, he claimed to have seen Phillips, in disguise, at the Te Rapa shop.
Cat recognized the father after stopping in front of a suspicious looking van and recognized Phillips through the disguise.
“It was just the way it raised its head because I had a feeling about that ute,” he said. Mata Reports.
Phillip left shortly after, Cat believes because he recognized her, so the mother chased after her.
He managed to get photos for the truck when they stopped at a red light, but he didn’t get out of his car for fear it wasn’t Phillip.
The mother of three in the New Zealand wilderness with her fugitive father for almost three years claimed to have seen him in costume at Bunnings (pictured).
Tom Phillips (pictured) has been on the run across New Zealand after an arrest warrant was issued for an alleged bank robbery last year.
Cat continued to follow the car but lost sight of it after it stopped in front of a bus and drove off down a side street.
The mother claimed the ute belonged to an associate of Phillips and was only reported stolen after she saw it.
Cat has long believed Phillips is receiving help from a network of followers across New Zealand.
‘My babies deserve better, it’s time they came home and supporting Thomas is essentially supporting child abuse because that’s what it is. There is no need to beat around the bush. None of this is right,’ he said.
‘Those people have to stop. “They need to think seriously about it and they need to ask themselves why these children deserve less than any other child in New Zealand.”
The father’s decision to disappear into the desert came after an arrest warrant was issued in September last year following an alleged bank robbery.
Criminal psychologist Dr Tim Watson-Munro said Phillips certainly showed the skills and understanding to live off the land with three young children.
However, Dr Watson-Munro said the psychological effect of separating children from their friends and family in adolescence could be detrimental to their development.
“I would be professionally concerned about the psychological well-being that arises from all of this,” he told Daily Mail Australia.
“I mean, it’s an abnormal kind of life for little kids.”
Last year, CCTV allegedly showed Phillips and one of the boys moments before robbing a bank and a clothing store.
The duo were wearing clothing covering their entire body, including face masks, at the time of the alleged incidents before leaving in stolen vehicles.
Catherine recognized the father after stopping in front of a suspicious-looking van (pictured) and recognized Phillips through the disguise.
He and his three children were discovered by teenage pig hunters last week, raising fears for their physical and mental well-being after years separated from society.
Dr Watson-Munro said children could be further deterred from leaving their father and seeking help if they are involved in the alleged offences, leaving them even more isolated.
“I have been involved in cases over the years where children have been part of alleged cults,” he said.
‘Families decide to isolate them from society in general, decide to educate them at home, etc.
‘But at least in those situations, they have the advantage of interacting with other children, other teenagers, other young children.
“Here you have a situation where you have three brothers alone with their father, there is no opportunity for that type of socialization.”
However, he noted that children are now reaching adolescence, an often tumultuous time even for stable homes, let alone those living in the wild.
“When they reach puberty and adolescence, not only do they go through a period of growth spurts, but the nature of their thinking also develops, in terms of conceptual thinking, and they become restless about what they are told to do.” do,” Dr. Munro said. saying.
“Adolescence can be a period of considerable rebellion for children.”
Phillips and the three boys were filmed by a pair of teenage pig hunters on a remote coastal farm near Marokopa on October 3.
The father and his children had disappeared from Marokopa in December 2021 and, while hundreds of sightings of Phillip have been reported to police, the footage filmed by the teenagers is the most credible.
The four members of the group were seen dressed in camouflage and carrying large backpacks.
Phillips is alleged to have robbed a designer clothing store and a bank late last year and was allegedly seen on CCTV wearing face masks and clothing to protect his identity (pictured).
He was seen with what appears to be one of his children after allegedly robbing the bank and fleeing on a stolen motorcycle (pictured).
Phillips walked about 10 yards ahead of his children, who trudged single file behind him.
Investigations are ongoing and New Zealand Police Detective Inspector Andrew Saunders confirmed the sighting was deemed “credible”.
“Although nothing more significant was located, investigators will now evaluate the information collected to determine next steps,” he said.
“This is the first time all three children have been seen, which is positive information and we know it will be reassuring for the children’s entire family.”
In June of this year, a reward of $80,000 was offered for information that could locate the three children; However, the reward expired after eight weeks with no results despite more than 40 sightings deemed significant by agents.
Inspector Saunders said police believe he received help while fleeing.
“Immunity from prosecution will be considered for anyone found to have committed a crime by assisting Tom Phillips, if they provide information or evidence leading to the location and safe return of the children,” he said in June.
The children’s mother, Catherine, previously accused Mr Phillips of child endangerment and deprivation.
“Ember is asthmatic like me and needs medical care that cannot be provided from Earth,” he said.
‘Many of you say that the children are well and that they are well cared for.
‘How do you know? Have you seen them? Or is it just quackery?
‘What Thomas is doing is not right. It is not okay to divide and conquer, isolate and control.
‘It’s child neglect, it’s child abandonment, it’s child abuse. My babies deserve better.’