A French woman identified as Marine Rousseau, 41, was arrested in Portugal along with her partner after being accused of abandoning her two children in a forest. The children, ages 3 and 5, were found alone, crying and disoriented by people passing through the area.
According to the investigation, the mother and stepfather allegedly deceived the minors by making them believe they were taking part in a kind of “treasure hunt”. The little ones were left with backpacks, two pieces of fruit, and water, and were abandoned for nearly 48 hours.
Authorities managed to detain the couple in a café, more than 150 kilometers from where the children were found. The children’s father had reported them missing on May 11 when they disappeared from their home.