Cat - the mother of the Marokopa kids. Photo: Screenshot
The mother of Marokopa fugitive Tom Phillips' children says the news of his death in a shooting has brought a "wave of complex emotions".
Phillips had been evading police since December of 2021, along with his three young children Ember, Maverick and Jayda.
"First and foremost, we are deeply relieved that for our tamariki this ordeal has come to an end. [The children] have been dearly missed every day for nearly four years, and we are looking forward to welcoming them home with love and care," the mother of Phillips' children, Cat, told Mata.
"At the same time, we are saddened by how events unfolded today. Our hope has always been that the children could be returned in a peaceful and safe way for everyone involved."
Watch Cat's interview with Mata's Mihingarangi Forbes in October last year:
On behalf of the family, Cat expressed aroha to the police officer who was injured while confronting Phillips.
"We also extend our aroha to those in the community who have been affected, and our heartfelt gratitude to the many people who have supported us over these past four years. Your compassion has sustained us," she said.
"As a whānau, we are now attempting to work in cooperation with the relevant government agencies to support the safe return and reconnection of our tamariki. They have endured a long and difficult journey, and we ask for privacy as we help them adjust and reintegrate into a stable and loving environment."
Cat with her children Jayda, Maverick and Ember. Photo: Supplied
In a media conference Acting Deputy Commissioner Jill Rogers said one child was at the scene during a shoot-out with Tom Phillips.
They had been taken into custody and were getting support, she said.
The other two children, a boy and a girl, were found late this afternoon by themselves in a camp approxiamately two kilometres from where Phillips was shot.
Rogers said the children were well and uninjured and would be taken for medical check.
In a later statement she said: "While they are safe, this is the start of a long journey of recovery and their welfare remains our top priority.
"For that reason, we will not be going into details about where they are now or their mental state."
Police at the back of PGG Wrightson in Piopio. Photo: NATALIE AKOORIE / RNZ
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