The mother of the missing Marokopa children has released a heartbreaking appeal for their return.
Ember, Maverick, and Jayda Phillips have been missing since 2021 after they were taken by their father, Tom Phillips.
Now, the children's mother, Cat, has added her voice to the Police appeal for the safe return of her children.
"I am standing here before you today begging you for your help to bring my babies home," she said in a video released by the NZ Police on Tuesday.
"They are just innocent children. They do not deserve to be treated this way. They do not deserve the life that is being provided to them right now.
"Today is Jayda's birthday. She's 11. She will be a young woman now and she needs her mother.
"Ember is asthmatic, as am I, and she needs medical care that cannot be provided by the land. And I can only imagine how Maverick is coping with the hand that life has dealt him.
"Many of you are saying that the children are fine, that they're being well looked after. How do you know? Have you seen them? Or is it just bush talk?
"What Thomas is doing is not OK. It is not OK to divide and conquer. It is not OK to isolate and control. It is child neglect. It is child endangerment. It is child abandonment. It is child abuse. None of this is OK. My babies deserve better.
"I'm just a mother standing here in front of the world begging you all to help me bring my babies home. Please, if anybody has any information at all, ring the police."
Police say they've launched the new phase of their operation they've had over 100 new reports of information.
"As a result of our enquiries we have identified 40 reports that we think are worthy of consideration and which are now being investigated further," Acting Detective Inspector Andrew Saunders said in a statement on Tuesday.
"While Marokopa continues to be a focus for the ongoing investigation, enquiries are being carried-out in surrounding areas including Honikiwi and Otorohanga and we're appealing for anyone who has observed suspicious behaviour in these areas in recent months to please contact Police."
Det Insp Saunders urged anyone with credible, current information to do the right thing and tell Police what you know.
Alternatively, you can email the dedicated email address op.curly@police.govt.nz or contact Police on 105 or online at 105.police.govt.nz clicking 'Update Report' and referencing file number 211218/5611.
