Losing a child is any parent’s worst nightmare. For New Zealand mother Cat, that fear became reality when Tom Phillips vanished with their three children—Jayda, Maverick, and Ember—on December 9, 2021.

Phillips had briefly gone missing with them before, returning after 19 days. But this time, after a court summons, he disappeared again. In August 2023, he resurfaced—caught on camera stealing a truck, linked to a bank robbery, and even involving one of his children.

The mystery deepened when pig hunters stumbled upon the family. While Phillips’ motives remain unclear, some believe he was paranoid, fleeing an imagined threat.

For Cat, learning her children were alive brought immense relief: **“I’m so happy they’re all there.”** But Phillips vanished once more, and now, an entire nation watches, hoping for a resolution.