"In a tragic end to a case that has captivated New Zealand for nearly four years, fugitive father Tom Phillips was shot dead by police after a burglary on Monday. Phillips had been on the run with his three children since 2021. One of the children was with Phillips during the exchange of fire near Piopio on Monday, while authorities said they had serious concerns for the other two children, who remained missing."
"The vast Waikato region, where Phillips was presumed to have been hiding, is made up of long sweeping coastline to the west, forested terrain and farmland in the centre, limestone cave networks to the north and a smattering of small rural towns and settlements throughout. Phillips came from a farming family in Marokopa a tiny coastal settlement of fewer than 100 people that became inextricably linked with Phillips's story. Before he disappeared, many New Zealanders would have struggled to pick it out on a map."
The disappearance began just before Christmas 2021, when Tom Phillips fled into the Waikato wilderness with his children Ember, Maverick and Jayda following a dispute with their mother. Phillips did not have legal custody of the children. He remained on the run for nearly four years until being shot dead by police after a burglary near Piopio, during which one child was with him and two children remained missing. The Waikato region includes coastline, forested terrain, farmland and limestone cave networks, and its remoteness and small settlements like Marokopa frustrated police attempts to locate Phillips. Multiple searches, reward offers and family pleas sought information.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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