New images show the campsite where fugitive dad Tom Phillips lived in the wilderness with his children, with cooking equipment showing how they managed to survive.
Phillips, 41, was able to live in the wild for four years with his three children before being killed in a shootout with New Zealand police.
His life off grid made tracking Phillips a difficult task for authorities, as he knew how to avoid more conventional tracking methods the police were using.
This included living quietly, staying off social media, and trying to minimise his financial footprint as much as possible.
Now, pictures have revealed a campsite which he set up during his four years living off grid.
The photos reveal an extremely pragmatic setup, though 'cozy' or 'homely' are probably not words that would apply.
A tarpaulin covers a small sheltered area, with a plastic carry case used as a makeshift table, with cooking equipment and gas canisters on the ground.
One large sheet has been carefully hung between the trees, and appears to have branches and leaves over parts of it further concealing it from view.
It would be easy to miss, even if you knew what you were looking for.
Crucially, it could also indicate that Phillips and his children had outside help during their time in the wild.
However, it seems as though the family mostly survived by living off the land, with investigators saying Phillips' camping gear, seedlings and other supplies suggested he was skilled at self-sufficiency.
Police also reportedly asked farmers in remote areas to check for missing stock.
When the family had previously been on a bush adventure, his children told locals what they had eaten, with Kiritehere resident Nora Haupokia explaining: "[His eldest, Jayda] mentioned watercress and smoked eels… and bread.
"Just stuff you’d normally eat at home. That’s what they were used to — that’s what they were eating in the bush."
Phillips first came to public attention when he fled into the Waikato wilderness with his children Ember, now 9, Maverick, 10, and Jayda, 12, just before Christmas 2021 following a custody dispute with the children's mum.
After successfully evading the authorities for four years, Phillips died after getting into a shootout with police investigating an armed burglary.
Officers had pursued two suspects on a quad bike before one of them began to fire at police using a high-powered rifle.
Police returned fire and killed the shooter, who is believed to be Phillips though formal identification has yet to be carried out.
Deputy commissioner Jill Rogers later confirmed that Phillips' children were found at a campsite.
“I can confirm that the children are well and uninjured, and they will be taken to a location this evening for medical checks," she said.
Rogers had previously said: "This has been a deeply traumatic incident this morning for those involved. It has been confronting and challenging in a small, rural, isolated location.”
New Zealand's prime minister Christopher Luxon called the events 'sad and absolutely tragic'.
Speaking to the press, he said: “This is not what anybody wanted to happen today and I think that is … a consistent feeling from everybody across New Zealand."
In a statement to broadcaster RNZ the children's mum, who was identified only as Cat, said she was 'saddened by how events had unfolded'.
She added: “Our hope has always been that the children could be returned in a peaceful and safe way for everyone involved."
Words by Kit Roberts
Featured Image Credit: New Zealand PoliceTopics: News
The FOODbible Team