Pair arrested after boys abandoned by road in Portugal

A man and a woman, reportedly the mother and stepfather of two young French boys, have been arrested in Portugal. The children, both under five, were discovered alone and crying by a driver near Alcacer do Sal on Tuesday, carrying backpacks with food and water but no identification. The boys had been reported missing from their home in Colmar, France, on May 11th, prompting a pan-European request for assistance. Portuguese police arrested a 41-year-old woman and a 55-year-old man after their car was spotted in Fatima. Both individuals are being investigated for domestic violence, exposure to danger, and abandonment. Inquiries are ongoing by police in both Portugal and France.

Portuguese police have arrested the mother of two young French boys who were found abandoned near Comporta. The boys, aged four and five, were discovered alone and crying by a roadside on Tuesday with backpacks containing food and water, but no identification. A manhunt ensued for their 41-year-old mother. On Thursday, Portuguese police apprehended her in Fatima, along with a 55-year-old man. Both were arrested on suspicion of abuse, endangerment, and abandonment.