Found Safe New Zealand - Tom Phillips, 34, shot/deceased; his 3 children who were with him found alive

[table legs]

I don't believe those children stayed in the make-shift tent encampment through three or four harsh winters. I think there has to be a more substantial camp somewhere. Are there any caves, hidden or abandoned

There are plenty of tomos around the area, and it really is such a beautiful part of the country with mostly lovely people. But like a lot of NZ, many didn’t cope with the lockdowns and turned anti-establishment. That’s why people helped TP.

If they were smart now, they’d just say, “Yeah, we dropped him stuff, but we honestly thought he was just protecting his kids. We didn’t realise it was this bad.”

The reality is he used his kids to hurt people, and then he hurt his kids too. Every single one of his offspring has been damaged by this. And part of NZ is responsible for that. I just hope those who helped him own up before the cops find them, because the police won’t feel sorry for them.

 

[Charlot123]

There are plenty of tomos around the area, and it really is such a beautiful part of the country with mostly lovely people. But like a lot of NZ, many didn’t cope with the lockdowns and turned anti-establishment. That’s why people helped TP.

If they were smart now, they’d just say, “Yeah, we dropped him stuff, but we honestly thought he was just protecting his kids. We didn’t realise it was this bad.”

The reality is he used his kids to hurt people, and then he hurt his kids too. Every single one of his offspring has been damaged by this. And part of NZ is responsible for that. I just hope those who helped him own up before the cops find them, because the police won’t feel sorry for them.

He used his kids to hurt people, but also, and very much so, for attention. If he left, in whatever form of protest against the government, alone, who’d care? A grownup man, not great that he is armed of course, but if he wants to spend his life in the bushes of NZ, it is his choice. But abducting young children is what drew the society’s attention towards him. And he knew it.

 

[table legs]

He used his kids to hurt people, but also, and very much so, for attention. If he left, in whatever form of protest against the government, alone, who’d care? A grownup man, not great that he is armed of course, but if he wants to spend his life in the bushes of NZ, it is his choice. But abducting young children is what drew the society’s attention towards him. And he knew it.

I don't think he went into the bush for a government protest- that's why people helped him to start.
He went into the bush because he's deranged imo

 

[Charlot123]

I don't think he went into the bush for a government protest- that's why people helped him to start.
He went into the bush because he's deranged imo

I think it is form of a protest to decide that as the father, he had the right over their lives. He wasn’t the custodial parent. Per the government, his mother was. And, deranged he was, of course, but people who decide to live away from the society, oftentimes protest against the said society and its mores.

 

[Cedars]

I think it is form of a protest to decide that as the father, he had the right over their lives. He wasn’t the custodial parent. Per the government, his mother was. And, deranged he was, of course, but people who decide to live away from the society, oftentimes protest against the said society and its mores.

I guess it depends on the meaning we assign to 'protest'.

To me, a protest is some form of demand that the government change. If those things do change, the protest will end, protesters go home and resume their ordinary lives (or they just become tired, lose enthusiasm).

I don't know enough about this case - was there ever an idea that he would let the children go and himself go back to ordinary life, if his conditions were met?

Or was he basically accepting the reality of 'the world' and just going off grid to live apart?

There was a case in Colorado, a woman persuaded her sister and pre-teen to go live apart from society, but no one really knew about it. So it wasn't protest, it was action. They had no help and no skills and all died from inability to survive.

There's a book about, eg, the Maine hermit - he just disappeared and lived in the woods for decades, stealing stuff. I think he would have continued until he died, if he hadn't become the focus of a really determined local cop.

Did this NZ guy believe it could continue indefinitely? The children were growing up, what then?

 

[iamshadow21]

I guess it depends on the meaning we assign to 'protest'.

To me, a protest is some form of demand that the government change. If those things do change, the protest will end, protesters go home and resume their ordinary lives (or they just become tired, lose enthusiasm).

I don't know enough about this case - was there ever an idea that he would let the children go and himself go back to ordinary life, if his conditions were met?

Or was he basically accepting the reality of 'the world' and just going off grid to live apart?

There was a case in Colorado, a woman persuaded her sister and pre-teen to go live apart from society, but no one really knew about it. So it wasn't protest, it was action. They had no help and no skills and all died from inability to survive.

There's a book about, eg, the Maine hermit - he just disappeared and lived in the woods for decades, stealing stuff. I think he would have continued until he died, if he hadn't become the focus of a really determined local cop.

Did this NZ guy believe it could continue indefinitely? The children were growing up, what then?

I think that, like a lot of men, he became obsessed with control. You see it here, you see it with a lot of those sovereign citizen types.

His idea of freedom was having complete control over his children and his situation. Which for him meant living under a manky tarp in the woods, wet and cold, stealing to get by. Oh, and forcing his three young children to endure that, too.

He deliberately set himself outside of society because he was having a tantrum about being told what he could and couldn't do as a parent. It lasted almost four miserable years and cost him his life.

MOO

 

[Cedars]

I think that, like a lot of men, he became obsessed with control. You see it here, you see it with a lot of those sovereign citizen types.

I think you see it with a lot of people. You see it with Greta Garbo 'I vant to be left alone' and Frank Sinatra, 'I Did it My Way'. I think you see it with every single case on WS. I see it in parents, neighbours, bosses, spouses, politicians...

 

[Bluebear15]

The reporting ban is to stay in place for the moment.

Unspeakable Tom Phillips secrets to stay hidden after years on the run

New Zealand Police and the country's Ministry of Children, known as Oranga Tamaraki, have been restrained from releasing troubling facts about Phillips due to a High Court injunction.

www.dailymail.co.uk

I can only assume that what's being hidden isn't just about Tom, but also the children, which is concerning.
Jmo

 

[MelmothTheLost]

The reporting ban is to stay in place for the moment.

Unspeakable Tom Phillips secrets to stay hidden after years on the run

New Zealand Police and the country's Ministry of Children, known as Oranga Tamaraki, have been restrained from releasing troubling facts about Phillips due to a High Court injunction.

www.dailymail.co.uk

I can only assume that what's being hidden isn't just about Tom, but also the children, which is concerning.
Jmo

I have seen a rumour concerning this, which purports to explain the injunction obtained by Phillips's parents. If correct, it's bad. Unfortunately the source is not quotable.

 

[sapphire blue]

Who decided Tom Phillips was safe enough to leave alone with his kids?

Experts are calling for a full inquiry into the case, saying questions have to be asked about what agencies knew.

www.rnz.co.nz

 

[table legs]

IMO its true, the police have described him as a monster, they have not directly said no, which they would have done before the injunction. We have no idea what is in the injunction its so broad. His family have either gone into hiding or they are in custody.
Its a little suspicious they have openly chosen to distance themselves in the last 4 months.
This is a massive failure of the family court, OT, police, the nz public, and his family.
This is completely my opinion

 

[LadyL]

Unsubstantiated rumours or gossip are not facts.

well she has a job, that’s a good sign isn’t it

Ex-wife had worked on farm 200m from Tom Phillips’ roadside shootout

The Waikato fugitive’s former wife was employed at the property in the past 12 months.

www.nzherald.co.nz

Summarising the article
Farmers Clive and Sandra Morgan, who employed Cat, spoke highly of her:
Described as “a good lady, very strong, physically, very normal and intelligent.”
Noted her talent as a sheep shearer, and the emotional toll of being separated from her children for over three years.

omg can you imagine if she had seen them walking through the woods or if they had seen her?
it was in the past 12 months ... just bizarre

 

[iQuill]

haven't seen any updates for a bit ... wonder what's happening ... such a sad situation ... prayers for the littles, they've been through so much and will need time, grateful they are getting the tender care they so deserve. MOO

 

[Tricia]

BBC Report

Tom Phillips: How four-year hunt for New Zealand dad unfolded

After a handful of chance encounters and brief sightings, the fugitive was shot dead on Monday morning.

www.bbc.com

 

[Absoluterubbish]

haven't seen any updates for a bit ... wonder what's happening ... such a sad situation ... prayers for the littles, they've been through so much and will need time, grateful they are getting the tender care they so deserve. MOO

I honestly don't think there will be any further updates. I would imagine the children's privacy is of the utmost importance now. Maybe some photos if they find some new camp sites

 

[rockthecasbah]

Hopefully they will catch the people who have been helping him

 

[Absoluterubbish]

Hopefully they will catch the people who had been helping him

Yes true. That could definitely be a future update.

 

[bubblewrapt]

The injunction that is blocking publication of something about this case will be reviewed on 18 September New Zealand time. New Zealand is a small community and alleged information has spread quickly (both person-to-person and online)
I desperately hope it is not true, and I hope the police will be able to announce that there is no truth to it.

 

[Absoluterubbish]

The injunction that is blocking publication of something about this case will be reviewed on 18 September New Zealand time. New Zealand is a small community and alleged information has spread quickly (both person-to-person and online)
I desperately hope it is not true, and I hope the police will be able to announce that there is no truth to it.

If it is true and that is what the injunction is about I would expect to see it upheld permanently. If that is the case on 18 September, I think we can pretty safely assume it is true. As you say, NZ is a small place and Marokopa is a very very very small town and there appears to be a lot of word on the ground as well as being repeated online that this is the case (and actually what I have read recently goes even further than what I initially read).

Apparently the news reporter asking the initial question has been edited out of the videos of that press conference. The only thing that has been edited out.

I am still sincerely sincerely hoping it is all false and we will get confirmation of that.

 

[sapphire blue]

What will it take for Tom Phillips' children to reintegrate into society?

A psychotherapist says the family dynamic showed cult-like traits.

www.nzherald.co.nz