Portuguese Police Arrest Two After French Boys Under Five Found Abandoned Near Alcácer do Sal

Portuguese police have arrested a mother and stepfather after two French boys, both under five, were found abandoned and distressed by a roadside near Alcácer do Sal. A driver discovered the children on Tuesday, carrying backpacks containing food and water but lacking any identification documents.

Investigation Underway in Portugal and France

The boys' father had reported them missing from their home in Colmar, eastern France, on 11 May, prompting a pan-European alert. Both Portuguese and French police have initiated inquiries, stating that investigations are in their preliminary stages.

Local reports indicate the arrests occurred after the couple's vehicle was sighted outside a café in Fátima, approximately 180 kilometres north of where the children were found. Portugal's National Republican Guard confirmed the apprehension of a 41-year-old woman and a 55-year-old man. While not formally identified by name, the pair are being investigated for alleged domestic violence, exposure to danger, and abandonment.

The driver who located the boys provided them with food before contacting the authorities.