'I apologise and hope to return to a normal life': Runaway father Mark Tromp breaks his silence on family's bizarre meltdown

  • Mark, Jacoba, Ella, Mitchell and Riana Tromp fled their home on Monday
  • Mark was found on Saturday, four days after he was reported missing
  • The father had grown paranoid someone was after the Victorian family 
  • There are suggestions the family may have suffered group delusions 

A 'paranoid' father who encouraged his family to flee their hometown sparking an interstate man hunt and has apologised for the 'hurt and concern' he caused during the five-day ordeal, which saw his youngest daughter charged with theft.

Mark Tromp encouraged his family - including wife Jacoba, 53, son Mitchell, 25, and daughter's Riana, 29, and Ella, 22 - to leave their farm in Silvan, east of Melbourne, on Monday when he became overwhelmed with fear their lives were in danger.

The 51-year-old was found wandering the streets near Wangaratta Airport five days later, after becoming separated from the rest of his family, but did not reveal the circumstances that led to the bizarre road trip when he spoke out on Tuesday.

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Riana, Mark, Jacoba, Mitchell and Ella fled their family home on August 29 after Mr Tromp started to fear their lives were in danger

It took five days to locate all members of the Tromp family, who aside from Mitchell were affected by a mental illness that caused them to fear for their lives (Pictured from left to right: Riana, Mark, Jacoba, Mitchell and Ella)

'In recent days my family has been through a difficult period,' he said in a statement.

'We will soon be reunited together, I hope that we will begin to make sense of our ordeal and return to a normal life.'

He acknowledged the 'burden' he had placed on his friends, family and police who spent almost a week scouring Victoria and New South Wales for the missing family. 

'On behalf of our family, I express our deep gratitude to Victoria and New South Wales Police, as well as the health care professionals who have looked after our physical and mental well-being.'

He said the family are recovering from a mental illness and were receiving 'appropriate assistance'. 

This comes after Ella Tromp, 22, was charged with theft of a motor vehicle and possessing the proceeds of a crime after she and Riana allegedly stole a ute and abandoned their 'delusional' parents last Tuesday.  

Ella Tromp (left), 22, has been charged with stealing a car after her 'paranoid' father Mark (right) encouraged her family to flee their Victorian home 

Ella Tromp (left), 22, has been charged with stealing a car after her 'paranoid' father Mark (right) encouraged her family to flee their Victorian home 

MARK TROMP'S FULL STATEMENT 

'In recent days my family has been through a difficult period.

We will soon be reunited together, I hope that we will begin to make sense of our ordeal and return to a normal life.

I am conscious of the burden these events have placed upon our extended family, friends and the community resources devoted to our aid.

Without reservation, I apologise for the hurt and concern caused by these events.

On behalf of our family, I express our deep gratitude to Victoria and New South Wales Police, as well as the health care professionals who have looked after our physical and mental well-being.

More than anything, my family and I need time to recover and receive appropriate assistance, including mental health services. 

To this end, we request the media organisations respect our request for privacy.'

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The pair were allegedly travelling from the Jenolan Caves, in the NSW central tablelands, in a car neither of them owned a day after severe paranoia drove the family of five to pack their bags and flee their Victorian home. 

Ella allegedly drove the stolen utility truck back to their redcurrant farm in Victoria after separating from her older sister in Goulburn, according to police. 

Riana, who was found in a catatonic state hiding in the back of a utility truck, also faced charges however they were dismissed under section 33 of the Mental Health Act of NSW.  

Mitchell, 25, was the first to abandon the trip once reaching Kelso, near Bathurst, a day after his mobile phone was hurled from the family's station wagon amid the height of their paranoia.

He took public transport back home via Sydney while his family continued their journey. 

Mother Jacoba was found in a dazed state on Thursday and taken to a hospital in Yass to be treated for 'stress related' illnesses.

Riana and Jacoba are now being treated in a mental health facility in Goulburn for a stress related illness.

Riana was found in a catatonic state in the back of a ute on Tuesday
Jacoba was found at Yass Hospital on Thursday

Riana Tromp (left) and her mother Jacoba (right) are being treated in a mental health facility in Goulburn

Mark Tromp (right) was picked up by police on Saturday night and flipped the bird at media when he was released from custody

Mark Tromp (right) was picked up by police on Saturday night and flipped the bird at media when he was released from custody

Mark Tromp's father George said: 'There's no sinister, no cult, no one else involved, that's why this is such a puzzle.

'I can understand why everyone is so intrigued. One day we'll know.'

Mitchell Tromp was the first to leave the family during the strange trip

Mitchell Tromp was the first to leave the family during the strange trip

Mark, who is currently staying with his brother Ken, flipped the bird to waiting media when he was released from police custody. 

Before Mark was found his family told the media they believed their father was still in Victoria after a series of break-ins in Milawa, a small town south-east of Wangaratta, Sydney Morning Herald reported. 

The Tromps caused concern after it was discovered left their home without their mobile phones, credit cards or passports.

Mark was reportedly paranoid that someone was going to kill them, but police have said the family were never in danger.

Mitchell Tromp and his sister Ella have returned to their home at Silvan, where they addressed media on Sunday morning

Mitchell Tromp and his sister Ella have returned to their home at Silvan, where they addressed media on Sunday morning

THE TROMP FAMILY'S OFF-GRID VACATION  

Monday, August 29 

The Tromp family abandon their redcurrant farm in Victoria and flee the town in their family station wagon without any bank cards or mobile phones.

Son Mitchell, 25, is found to have a mobile phone and it is thrown from the vehicle east of Melbourne. 

Tuesday, August 30

Mitchell becomes concerned with his parent's 'delusional' behaviour and leaves the family trip at Bathurst before boarding public transport home.

Mark, 51, his wife Jacoba, 53, and their two daughters Ella, 22, and Riana, 29, continue travelling to the Jenolan Caves.

Ella and Riana allegedly steal a utility truck and leave their parents in Goulburn. 

The sisters become separated in the regional town and Riana is found in a catatonic state hiding in the back of a local man's utility truck. 

The 29-year-old was taken to hospital and treated for a stress-related illness.

Ella started travelling back to the family home in the stolen vehicle.

Police visit the family farm after the couple are reported missing.  

Wednesday, August 31

Ella and Mitchell arrive home separately and are met by police.

Officers spot the family station wagon in Victoria's north-east and a man, believed to be Mark, flees the vehicle and runs into a nearby park but is not found.

Thursday, September 1

Jacoba is found 'dazed and confused' in Yass after separating from her husband. 

She was taken to a local hospital to be treated for a stress-related illness.

Mitchell reveals his parents were paranoid and afraid when he abandoned the trip. 

Friday, September 2

Jacoba was transferred to Goulburn hospital where Riana is undergoing treatment.

Saturday, September 3

Mark was found wandering the streets near the Wangaratta airport in 'good health' and was taken into police custody.

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The couple's three children went with them until realising their parents were 'delusional'. 

Speaking to media on Friday, Mitchell said he couldn't explain the family's paranoia. 

'I've never seen anything like it. It's really hard to explain or put a word on it but they were just fearing for their lives and then they decided to flee,' Mitchell said.

Mitchell and Ella Tromp addressed media on Sunday after their whole family had been accounted for

Mitchell and Ella Tromp addressed media on Sunday after their whole family had been accounted for

Mark Tromp (pictured) fled fearing people were out to hurt him and his family

Mark Tromp (pictured) fled fearing people were out to hurt him and his family

Mitchell and Ella said they couldn't comment on what caused their panicked road trip as police were investigating

Mitchell and Ella said they couldn't comment on what caused their panicked road trip as police were investigating

But the reason could be a shared delusional schizophrenia, The Goulburn Post reported.

The newspaper claimed a police circular shown to them suggested the family had been diagnosed with the mental illness. 

And the Herald Sun earlier speculated it could have been a condition known as folie à deux. 

The condition almost always occurs in tight-knit families between partners and siblings who could be otherwise socially isolated.

People affected by the condition fall into a cycle of reinforcing each other's paranoid delusions. 

They tight-knit group worked together on the family farm and had unbreakable friendships.

Two of the three adult children live with their parents. 

Ella was bailed to appear at Ringwood Magistrates Court in April, 2017.

'He thinks people are after him. He's not in a good state of mind,' Mitchell said of his father 

'He thinks people are after him. He's not in a good state of mind,' Mitchell said of his father 

 A timeline of events before Mark Tromp was found near Wangaratta Airport on Saturday

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