Even if you heard the whole story, Mitch and Ella Tromp say, you still couldn't explain it.
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The morning after their father Mark Tromp was found in Wangaratta, the Tromp children, both in their 20s, said they were just happy their dad was found alive and well.
"More than anything we're just happy dad's alive and he's going to come back home and all the family is going to come back home and we can get back to normal," Ella, 22, said.
Mitch and Ella wouldn't go into exactly what unfolded within their family that led to all five members - father Mark, mother Jacoba, eldest daughter Riana, Mitch and Ella - fleeing from their home last Monday.
"The police are still doing an investigation so they still need to do their job at this stage," Mitch said.
Mark was found walking near Wangaratta shortly before 6pm on Saturday night, dehydrated but otherwise okay.
Both children have since spoken to their father, who remains in Wangaratta with his policeman brother Ken.
"He was my dad, he was just how he always is and it was so great to hear from him," Mitch said.
"I just wanted to hear his voice and we'll go through those details (about where he had been) later," Ella added.
"He's well and he said he just wanted to come back home and get back to work."
Mitch said even if he could tell the whole story, it would still be inexplicable.
Jacoba and Riana both remain in hospital in Goulburn being treated by mental health clinicians.
Mitch and Ella said their mother and sister are both doing well and are being treated by specialists.
Mark was released from police custody into the care of his policeman brother, Ken.
A smiling Ken Tromp had earlier told media outside the police station "everything is going really well", but the family did not want to make any further comment.
Police confirmed Mr Tromp had been cleared by a medical assessor from Albury Wodonga Health and was safe and well. He did not need to be taken to hospital.
It is still unknown why the 51-year-old fled his Silvan home with his wife and three adult children last Monday.
He had not been spotted in three days since he abandoned his car and ran into Merriwa Park on Wednesday.
Despite speculation that the family suffered a shared delusional disorder before and during their "technology-free" road trip, Mitchell told Fairfax Media there were no recent or current psychological diagnoses in his family.
Paranoia over financial affairs – or that someone was trying to steal their money – is believed to be the catalyst for triggering the family crisis.
The paranoia built up to a point where Mark and his wife, Jacoba, became terrified someone was coming after them before making the ill-fated decision to leave the family home in Silvan.
Monbulk Sergeant Mark Knight, who works with Mr Tromp's brother and knows the family, said no one was after the family and they were not being followed. Police have not found evidence their money was being targeted by a thief.
Sergeant Knight said previously there were no diagnosed mental health conditions and there is no evidence of drug taking or drug psychosis.
The family have no debts and their businesses – an earth-moving company and berry farm – are successful.
Jacoba and eldest daughter Riana remain in hospital in Goulburn being assessed by mental health practitioners. Relatives have travelled to Goulburn to be with them.
In a previous appeal to the public on Thursday, Mitchell said he had never seen anything like what he saw happen in his family.
"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," he said.
"It was a build-up of different, normal, everyday events – just pressure – and it slowly got worse as the days went by."
Mitchell was the first to leave the family on Tuesday, taking a series of trains home from the NSW city of Bathurst. The rest of the family continued on to Jenolan Caves.
Later that day, Ella and Riana drive to Goulburn then split up. Ella returns home while Riana is found in the back of a ute and is taken to hospital.
Mark and Jacoba Tromp were seen together at a Wangaratta shopping centre on Wednesday.
A Wangaratta couple reported the Tromp's grey Peugeot station wagon following them around the streets about 10pm the same day.
When they stopped, they saw Mr Tromp run into parkland.
Police were earlier investigating three break-ins around Milawa and Oxley on Thursday. The back door had been pushed open at each premises and food was taken from one.
It is not known if Mr Tromp was responsible.
Timeline:
Monday, August 29: The Tromps leave the family home in Ella's Peugeot, terrified someone was after them. During the course of the drive, it's discovered Mitchell has brought his phone with him. He throws it out of the window near Warburton, about 32 kilometres from the family home. The family continues driving towards Bathurst.
Tuesday, August 30: Mitchell decides he wants to go home. He leaves the family at Kelso, a suburb of Bathurst, about 7am and makes his way to Sydney. The rest of the family continue on to the Jenolan Caves. That afternoon, they decide to split up. Ella and Riana steal a car in desperation and make their way to Goulburn then go their separate ways. Riana is found along the highway after stealing a lift in a ute and is taken to the local hospital due to stress-related issues. Ella drives back to the family home in Silvan. Parents Mark and Jacoba are reported missing and that afternoon police attend the family home to find credit cards and mobile phones lying around the house and car keys in ignitions.
Wednesday, August 31: Mitchell arrives at the family home in the morning after catching the overnight train from Sydney. That afternoon, police search the Jenolan Caves area for Mark and Jacoba but are unable to find them. The couple drive south to Wangaratta where they separate. Jacoba takes public transport to Yass and Mark is seen leaving the Peugeot, with keys in the ignition, in a side street.
Thursday, September 1: Police are notified in the early hours of the morning that the family car has been located in Wangaratta and that a lone man was seen walking away from the car. It is believed this man was Mark. Later in the day, Jacoba is taken to Yass District Hospital after a local found her wandering around town.
Saturday, September 2: Mark Tromp is found by police after a passer-by saw him walking along Greta Road, on the outskirts of Wangaratta, shortly before 6pm.
smh.com.au, with Tom Cowie, Shana Morgan and Goya Dmytryshchak
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