The children were located with the assistance of their sibling, who was with Phillips at the time of his death. Officials confirmed the children are safe but made it clear they are going to require a significant period of time to settle down and come to terms with their ordeal.
Disappearance and unsafe habitation
Phillips vanished with his children - Jayda, Maverick and Ember- in September 2021, just before Christmas, when they were safe with him, who were then aged eight, seven, and five respectively. Police believe Phillips took them after he lost legal custody of them.
Police Commissioner Richard Chambers said Phillips had "no regard" for the safety of the children and deliberately put the children directly in danger. The children are now protected and are in care. Officers discovered firearms, ammunition, and quad bikes at the campsite hidden in thick bush. By the time authorities entered the site, the search for two of the children had already been running for close to 12 hours.
Shootout and ongoing cases
Things began on Monday morning when police responded to a call about an attempted burglary of a rural farm supply store in Piopio. In the ensuing gunfight, Phillips opened fire with a high-powered rifle, causing serious injury to an officer. Commissioner Chambers was adamant in his statement that there was no doubt the shot was intended to kill. The officer has undergone several surgeries and is set for a long recovery.
Phillips' case has garnered a lot of attention in New Zealand over the past four years. While it appears his death closes a chapter, further questions remain about how he successfully evaded police during a nationwide search, how he acquired weapons, etc.
Authorities did not comment on whether the children's mother, Cat or Phillips' extended family would be in direct contact with the children. Police Minister Mark Mitchell stated that the priority was to ensure the children were offered the appropriate supports, noting they had been subject to experiences that no child should experience.
Warwick Morehu from the Ministry for Children added that they would continue assistance as needed. The children's mother indicated her relief that the ordeal had finished after almost four years without her children, but was saddened by how it had all unfolded.
