Private Investigator Chris Budge on the missing Marokopa family

Michael Laws speaks with Private Investigator Chris Budge about the missing Marokopa family.
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[@Mercmad]

I was born in Tekuiti and a lot of folks in the Area are related to me. In the 1960's I spent time in the bush with a surveying party,checking old tracks laid down by my Maori (paternal) ancestors , I can see why Tom hid in there ,because if you know the bush out there it's old growth and incredibly thick . It sounds like they could be housed with family in the area,hopefully.

[@Noote54]

15 years ago did jury service for a chap who jumped bail. After 2 years handed himself in, the police had stopped looking

[@D.Cooper420]

Let's not forget that the P.I. is paid by the mother and her family. He obviously can't admit she is/was a meth user and the one that potentially caused this whole situation. He danced around explaining facts on her a bit due to this

[@minmaree1254]

Hasn’t she also just done a stint in jail?

[@robynmeyer7796]

If there’s truth in this (what they were being subjected to on the mother’s side) then I would have considered similar action to Tom to keep my children safe. Sometimes we have to take the law into our own hands when the system gets it wrong. Perhaps Tom was saying “My Children Come First!” in the only way he felt he could - then it got out of control when police and media got involved. I strongly feel Police got this incredibly wrong after the first Marakopa disappearance and this response created havoc for three children who deserve the freedom to be kids in a safe environment.

[@HumanimalChannel]

So what? It does not excuse the father subjecting young children to that isolation, discomfort, danger, fear.

[@Pastaaa204]

​@@robynmeyer7796I thought the grandparents had custody of the kids? So the mother being a meth user probably wasn't going to be an issue in terms of the kids safety as it's unlikely the grandparents would have let her take them, so Tom did this for nothing? It doesn't sound like Tom said my kids come first, he was just anti govt and authority and went off the rails a little bit. I think it's likely he's getting sick of being on the run or he's getting complacent and sloppy given the most recent video and the fact the kids spoke to the hunters for a little bit before Tom told them to hurry up. The only way Tom can get out of this without legal repercussions is to say the legal guardians of his children gave him permission to take them. It's a double edged sword tho, if he says that then hes throwing the grandparents who have custody (likely Tom's own parents since he was allowed to take the kids a second time, I'm pretty sure they have interviews that allude to this fact) and then they'll be the ones liable for the fines a jail time for wasting police resources. It just depends on whether or not he's willing to throw his parents under the bus.

[@spongybone4071]

​@@HumanimalChannelthere are thousands of kids living only with their single mother who have been brainwashed by the mother that their dad is a bad person and the dad never gets to see those kids. But that's o.k. is it?

[@_-.Everlast.-_]

Society needs to control everyone lol, he's done nothing wrong.

[@williemrebekahmaclutchie-e7654]

thats right000000000wrong.

[@mymai5859]

Please look deeper. Neither the father nor the mother were granted full time custody. Tom the father has done everything wrong. Unfortunately the mother was not represented well in court. Tom's parents were given full custody. Both Tom & the childrens' mother have visiting rights. However this is biased as Tom has better access to his enabling parents, & he can manipulate them. It is illegal to alienate 1 parent from seeing their children if they have visiting rights. Tom is a very angry, selfish, short tempered, controlling man. This is not fair to the children to be snatched from their other siblings & extended family who they were raised with. Michael laws got it wrong - they are the bio children of both Tom AND the mother of the children.

[@robynmeyer7796]

@@mymai5859 If you don’t know the full facts, please keep it to yourself. Speculation based on media coverage lacks wisdom.

[@mymai5859]

@@robynmeyer7796 you can keep quiet yourself & stop projecting your hatred of the mother. I have followed this case closely more than just media speculation!!! You'd have to be blind not to see the father's manipulation.

[@TheEnzedone]

@@robynmeyer7796 He’s a loser, simple as that

[@mymai5859]

Chris Budge us excellent

[@Sequoia690]

At the core of this, is how our Family Court treats Fathers most of the time...usually in the worst possible way: depriving Fathers access to their own children. The scales weigh predominantly in favour of the Woman/Mother and disadvantage the male nearly every time... . This is an ongoing issue for many Fathers and needs to be sorted out. ( I am referring especially to good fathers).

[@Vanadisir]

NZ courts try to reward 50/50 where applicable now. Even when there is evidence of abuse and neglect on either side.

[@robinkatsu]

Try is the word , fail hugely in many cases.

[@robinkatsu]

This guy is way to positive of oranga tamariki , obviously hasnt had much personal need of interaction with OT

[@saregama-r8td]

@@robinkatsuyea but you don’t actually know do you?

[@robynmeyer7796]

The core of this is not the family courts…its parents who have an inability to resolve their own issues in an adult way, responsibly and with the children’s best interests at heart. Sometimes it’s necessary to simply make a stand when we know our kids are unsafe. I had to do just that! It never made it to court and I never applied for custody. Playing the court game does more harm to children. As we don’t know the whole story in this situation we would be wise to remain neutral.

[@louisegreenwold6249]

Why on earth don’t they offer the father amnesty? The father can get on with his life without fear.

[@Froggability]

"No child left behind!"

[@spongybone4071]

The poor guy is probably tired of being on the run. I feel totally sorry for him especially trying to keep it together with kids that are so young. Sonebody else suggested the best solution to this is for the police to offer him an amnesty. Come out of hiding and he gets 50 50 custody and doesnt get charged.

[@spongybone4071]

Hes just trying to do best by his kids against a system that is broken. Sad thing is theyll throw him in Jail for this. He has my support

[@NA-sj9jy]

Just back off, and leave them alone. People have rights and freedoms to live in peace, without harassment. Your harassment has done this. Don't you people get that?

[@Pete-z6e]

A particularly odd attitude under the circumstances.

[@claudelle.M]

Psychic medium investigators ❤

[@dianneprice445]

I agree with the police. This man has wasted so much money and resources so where does it stop. Obviously the sightings of the children prove they are okay.

[@robynmeyer7796]

I don’t remember Tom sending out an SOS call or asking for a massive police search to rescue his children and himself. I don’t recall there ever being a ‘legal requirement’ to notify people of your whereabouts or plans at all times. It appears Tom took his kids to the bush for a break from the world (as was his right) and Police overreacted - then were pissed because they (Police) had wasted so much money due to their own poor decisions and leadership. Let’s take a look at the bigger picture and show wisdom rather than ignorance.

[@spongybone4071]

He hasn't wasted any money. He didn't ask them to come looking. The police are the ones responsible for wasting resources.

[@dhrigby]

I'm pretty sure at 14:43 he says 'all we care about is the t*ts'. Which is great but maybe find the kids first.

[@patricialloyd866]

your first concern should be their health not education

[@robynmeyer7796]

I think you might mean‘well-being’.

[@Peter_Pepper_Love]

My kinda ex coppa👍🏼

[@adelekelly455]

Those poor kids

[@saregama-r8td]

The only comment on here that cares about the actual children

[@robynmeyer7796]

The children could very well be in a healthy, safe environment now for all we know. Speculation (when you don’t know the full facts) can cause more harm to the kids. I just hope they are happy, beginning to blossom and enjoying life in a way that puts their future on a sound path.

[@TheEnzedone]

@@robynmeyer7796 Puts their future on a sound path? 😅😅😅 Those kids are screwed.

[@robynmeyer7796]

Looking at things in a different light…might give some a new perspective. I hope the children are safe and well and I hope there’s a way for them to re-enter society without tragedy so they can grow and laugh and play as children should. Gone Bush: (A Homegrown Jar of Fiction based on a true story) The man needed some space, he’s a country man who grew up where the values he learned are different to those in the city. His parents are hard working, family oriented people who raised him to survive in an isolated community but he also learned to dance a little in a more urban society…where life never offers any real freedom. Some would call him feral, others a hero. Somewhere there might be balance in him, none of us really knows. He wasn’t raised with street skills and lawyers, he was raised for a different form of survival. Bureaucratic principles were a foreign language on another planet and he was drowning in them - which i guess is what they are designed to do for most of us. He’s had a few rocks thrown at him by life lately and it isn’t always easy thinking straight when you’re dealing with townies, even at the best of times. So he makes a plan and heads off to the bush for a spell with his kids, for a break from the world, that’s where he finds his peace. He’d surface when he was ready…well, that was the plan. He didn’t have to notify the world of his whereabouts, there wasn’t any requirement printed in some old book somewhere that he was aware of, so he doesn’t bother, after all he’s his own man. His kids are home schooled so it’s not a biggie, he doesn’t have to worry too much about those buggers in the education sector poking their nose in - anyway this is a camping trip so it’s still educational. He’ll sort it when he gets back if he has to. He leaves his vehicle parked on the beach… There might have been a bit of a dodgy insurance claim to replace his wagon floating around somewhere in the back of his head a some point - it’s called getting by to some these days…best of luck wagon my mate, sorry I parked ya in a bad spot…sniff, sob…It probably wasn’t wise to consider as the locals are pretty switched and they’re the ones to look out for… Anyway a bit of time out off grid might flip the ex a bit too. She’d been a nightmare for too long and he’d had a guts full. Who knows, a bit of a shake up might sort her out too and get them all back on track…never know she might even get real. When Police come sniffing about, it’s not always a good thing. They don’t cope very well in the country usually…pity they don’t have more isolated stations set up to teach them a few real skills. Anyway like expected they didn’t handle it too well. It wasn’t entirely their fault though as, like most government employees, they are trained to do as little as possible for the public but usually are fairly good at practicing propaganda if they have to. They’re unreal - a bit like his ex. After a good hunt of the area, and despite finding no evidence of tragedy, it didn’t take long to launch extensive plans to hunt for a man who has a bit of bush skill up his sleeve, hasn’t asked for media attention, and hadn’t got around to lighting a decent fire to send out smoke signals to be rescued, which might have been a good idea if he’d known what was going on out there. Police had dropped the master key, they had thought the worst and somehow it might have made them miss the point where the man loves his kids - they are his world. It wasn’t too hard to figure for the average bloke, but I guess not everyone’s average. Police mindset often is twofold. Sometimes it provides them with an opportunity (and perfect excuse) to get out for a play with the big toys, get out of the office and enjoy some fun - it can’t be too easy towing drunks back to the office every night. Publicly funded play is a big part in their dreams, but it doesn’t happen that often. They could use these missions in a healthy way, in tandem with training and as a means for improvement, then it covers their butts and they are less likely to smother egg on their faces or be accused of being public sector wastrels. Logic can be a gnarly pill for some folk. The weeks pass by, miracles happen occasionally. Four figures slowly make their way along a road close to the family farm, grinning and ready to face the world. One rides a small motorbike. They are all safe…and the whole planet is happy for them. But things are about to change and the ongoing effects will change lives forever… Police are angry, as one would expect - it doesn’t go down well when all that technology proves fruitless, and the boys don’t come out as heroes. Police using their resources and money for operations seems to now be a crime for the people that goes far beyond the responsibility of those holding rank or leadership. It’s not a logical piece of legislation when you think about it, probably a few too many @ symbols for lunch that day. Anyway, wrapping a man up on charges he doesn’t earn can really kick havoc onto his doorstep. Who knows, he might even have to head out to the shed and fish out a few tactical logistics to make sure they get it right next time. Good excuse to go bush again I reckon.

[@Sam-lk6eo]

Regardless of any bad history either Parent may have or ethnic background, Allowing visitation rights to both parties should be mandatory ! Q : Why did he take the oldest child DJ ?

[@ChrisKnight-tu7dt]

Watch this video it will enlighten people to the tom Phillips casr

[@meredithisme3752]

Hmm check the case in America Lori velow murdered her kids

[@Fatfreddy7]

Hunt for the wilder people? but really where are those kids police!

[@johnmartin7158]

I feel sorry for the kids. That Father certainly sounds a whack job.

[@Froggability]

“No child left behind!” 😄

[@LukeHakaraia]

THE FAMILY COURT & POLICE HAVE NO CLAIM TO THOSE CHILDREN. AS THE DNA OF THE SAID CHILDREN BELONGS TO THE MOTHER & THE FATHER. NO BEING IN THOSE CORPORATE AGENCIES. HAS A HIGHER CLAIM OF OWNERSHIP OF THOSE CHILDREN THAN THE PRINCIPALS IN THE MATTER THE MOTHER & FATHER THE DNA AS PROOF OF CLAIM. NEVER ACCEPT THE TITLE PARENT THAT THESE AGENCIES FORCE UPON YOU BY REBUTTING THAT TITLE. BY ONLY RESPONDING AS THE MOTHER OR FATHER OF THE CHILDREN IN QUESTION.

[@lockk132]

Didn't Helen Clark's government do a sneaky with legislation a while back.Basically declaring parents have guardianship only , therefore in effect allowing for quick governmental agency intervention when ever concerned

[@les8518]

I maybe old fashioned. I don't like children being called kids.

[@russellturner1909]

Millions of people die every year but not you WHY ?