New photographs have emerged showing the campsite where Tom Phillips’ children were holed up while their fugitive father made a desperate last stand in a shoot-out with police.
The police photos detailed the conditions the young children were forced to endure, painting a grim picture of their daily reality within rubbish and tarps.
Jayda, 12, Maverick, 10, and Ember, 9, were in hiding for four years in the rugged Waikato backcountry.
Police found the two missing children yesterday afternoon at the site, which was stocked with firearms.
One of Phillips’ children was present at the stand-off, and helped lead police to their siblings.
Police Commissioner Richard Chambers said Phillips had not been at this site for any considerable time; instead, police believe he was moving around during the years he spent on the run.
The makeshift camp was found by specialist police, about 2km from where Phillips died.
The photos supplied by police revealed details of the harsh conditions the young children were forced to live in.
A bright red quad bike is seen camouflaged with a draped green tarp.
Multiple wheels, a jerry can, multiple Sprite cans and large glass bottles are scattered within the makeshift site.
Mechanical parts are also visible.
Another image shows what looks to be a path carved near the site within the dense bushland.
Foliage covers many of the items.
Chambers said the campsite was “probably one of many” that Phillips would have used in the bush.
“We believe they have been moving around. The terrain in this area is challenging. They’ve been on the move and they were deep in the bush, about two kilometres away from where the shooting occurred yesterday morning,” he said.
He could not say whether police had previously searched the exact location where the campsite was found. He said it is likely they had canvassed that area before.
“Over the past four years, we have covered this terrain, this region a lot,” Chambers said.
“It’s highly likely that we’ve been very, very close.”
The area where the makeshift campsite was found would have made it “very easy to hide”, a local business and property owner told the Herald.
“It’s incredibly dense, dense bush. It’s all limestone country, and so there are very few open streams. It’s all kind of really broken terrain, so very, very easy to hide.
“We’ve got no idea where the place is. We’ve been looking for four years. We’re all wondering where on earth this place might be.
“[Based on police information], we imagine the campsite is 2km from the scene towards Marokopa. That would mean it could possibly be on the road reserve side of our property. But it’s such broken country, no one would know.”
A number of areas in Western Waikato remain under scene guard as police process evidence.
The camp area in Waitomo and the shooting location remain active crime scenes, with forensic staff on site today to gather evidence.
Three firearms, including the weapon used by Phillips, have been recovered from the shooting scene.
Several firearms were found at the camp, police said.
Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers business, breaking news and local stories from Tāmaki Makaurau. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022.
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