Mum 'holding out every hope' for children missing on stormy Waikato beach

Wednesday, 15 September 2021

Police say they have serious concerns for a man and his three children missing after their vehicle was found on a remote Waikato west coast beach.

The mother of three children missing on a rugged Waikato west coast beach says she is holding out hope the trio are safe.

But family acknowledge they may have been swept from the beach by wild weather.

The plea for sightings of Jayda Jin, 8, Maverick Callum-Phillips, 6, and Ember Phillips, 5 comes after the family have not been seen since late Saturday in the company of their father, Thomas Phillips.

The discovery of Phillips’ ute below the tideline on Kiritehere Beach, west of Te Kuiti has sparked an intense search since Monday.

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“We are holding out every hope that my children Jayda, Maverick and Ember are safe,” the children’s un-named mother said in a statement via police.

“This is an incredibly difficult time for both myself and our wider family.

“We are just asking that anyone who might have any information, no matter how small or insignificant they think it might be, to contact police and tell them.

“We want to thank everyone who has reached out to us and offered support.

“We also want to pass our gratitude and thanks on to the people who are out searching. It is so greatly appreciated.”

Kiritehere beach on Wednesday, as wild waves smash against the shoreline.

Search efforts continued on Wednesday for the family, with lifeguards from Raglan brought in as howling winds and rain on the remote beach south of Marokopa grounded aircraft.

Searchers, including the coastguard, are now focused on the shoreline, looking for any signs of the family.

The family were last seen on late Saturday afternoon at the family farm near Marokopa, wider family said in a statement.

Although Tom lived in Ōtorohanga, he and the children visited the farm often to spend time with their cousins and grandparents.

Tom loved to whitebait with his children and there was no noticeable change in Tom's behaviour, they said.

“Because of where the vehicle was found we are understandably very anxious and fearful for the safety of Tom and the children.

“It is possible that they were all swept off the beach as the sea was particularly wild over the weekend. We are hopeful that Tom has taken the children camping and that they are safe somewhere.

Wild wet weather but the search continues.

“There is no knowledge that he had plans to do this.”

Police on Wednesday released a photo of Phillips’ ute and are asking for sightings.

Phillips’ uncle, Paul Phillips, spoke to Radio NZ on Wednesday morning and said the family were just hoping he had gone into hiding with his children.

Marokopa on the west coast where the family were last seen.

“My brother and sister-in-law are very positive about this, they don't want to think the worst.

“I struggled, initially, but spending some time with my brother and sister-in-law last night has made me realise there are options.”

Police want to hear from anyone who saw Thomas Phillips' 2004 silver Toyota Hilux before it was found on the beach at Kiritehere on Sunday.

He said Phillips was a “dedicated father who looks after his children really well”.

Searchers coming back across the Marokopa river mouth after a morning out looking.

“The sea was pretty rough down there at that particular time, I think a 2½-metre swell, so they could have been on the rocks and could have been caught by a freak wave or anything.”

Paul Phillips said his nephew was homeschooling his children and the family was hopeful he had just taken them out into the bush for a few days.

“We are not sleeping a lot at the moment, obviously we are worried about what is going on.”

Kiritehere Beach, where Thomas Phillips' vehicle was found abandoned.

A search and rescue operation has been in full swing since Monday at Kiritehere and Marokopa.

The physical search continues in these areas, while investigators make inquiries to determine the family’s movements, Waikato west area commander Will Loughrin said.

Residents search the beach on Wednesday.

Police have released a photo of Phillips’ 2004 silver Toyota Hilux and are asking for information from anyone who saw its movements before it was found on the beach at Kiritehere on Sunday.

“Police remain focused and committed to finding Thomas and his children and bringing them home, and we continue to work with and support their extended family.”

Drones, using thermal imaging, were used on Tuesday night by Fire and Emergency NZ but did not find anything of interest.

Phillips was farming and had done contract work in the South Island when he met his partner. They had three children.

Paul Phillips told Radio NZ the relationship did not work out.

“So he came back into the district and worked for his father on the [Marokopa] farm.”

Phillips also lived in a house his parents bought him in Ōtorohanga so the children could go to school but had decided to homeschool them, his uncle said.

Phillips had full custody of the children and had been looking after them for three years.

Paul Phillips said the relationship between the children’s mum and Phillips was not the greatest.

Paul Phillips, who is staying with his brother at the moment, remains positive and admits others are coping a lot better than he is.

His nephew was a competent bushman and a keen pig hunter, he said. There was nothing specific that would have made his nephew leave, as far as he was aware.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 105 and quote file number 210913/1952.