Inquiry into New Zealand man who hid his kids in forest for years lambasts officials’ actions

A comprehensive investigation into the case of a New Zealand man, Tom Phillips, who concealed his children in a remote forest for years before his death, has faulted government agencies for not promptly addressing the dangers and hardships faced by the children during their disappearance. The inquiry, launched in November 2025, aimed to examine how various agencies managed the situation, which gained prominence due to public outrage over a father evading authorities for nearly four years while exposing his children to harsh living conditions, deprived of healthcare and education.

The report, released on Tuesday, highlighted that officials downplayed or ignored the mother's worries and the children's relatives, often deeming such concerns as mere family disputes. Tom Phillips, along with his children aged 5, 7, and 8, vanished from Marokopa, a small rural town on New Zealand’s North Island, in December 2021.

Although this was not the first time he had gone missing with his children, the authorities failed to respond swiftly enough. For instance, they missed a significant opportunity when they first disappeared and did not promptly seek surveillance warrants or involve the military.

New Zealand's Minister for Social Development, Louise Upston, confirmed that officials failed to act decisively when they received information about the family’s whereabouts in 2023. Phillips' children were directly affected by the agencies' lack of action, and the government expressed deep regret over their failure to protect them adequately. The government committed to implementing all the report's recommendations, which encompass changes in how concerns about children are reported and addressed.

No specific names of officials are mentioned in the report, as it lacks the authority to make criminal charges or impose penalties. The inquiry's chief executive, Amanda Malu, expressed that reading the report was difficult and at times harrowing. She acknowledged the courage demonstrated by the children's mother and older siblings and acknowledged that the family deserved better from the authorities.

Following Phillips' fatal encounter with the police in September 2025, his children were discovered along with firearms at a makeshift campsite close to the family's hiding place. Although the children's names and pictures were widely published in New Zealand news to solicit information, the inquiry revealed that the police had initially adopted a low-key approach, based on the false assumption that no concerns existed for the children's welfare.