Police have shared new details about a mother and stepfather who allegedly tricked their two young children into thinking they were playing a game before abandoning them. The incident unfolded in rural areas of Alcácer do Sal and Comporta in Portugal, where Barthélémy, aged five, and Zacharie, aged three, were found wandering a road with minimal supplies by a local couple named Eugénia and Artur Quintas. The boys, visibly distressed and crying, had no identifying documents and were brought to safety by the concerned couple who then contacted authorities.
Artur Quintas recounted that the children, covered in dirt and bruises, mentioned coming from France and revealed that their parents, Marine (41) and Marc (51), instructed them to search for a buried knife while blindfolded as part of a game. After uncovering their eyes, the boys discovered their parents had vanished but still believed they were participating in a game called ‘drive away the devil’. Subsequently, the children wandered through the woods for hours before being found.
Following a toxicology examination that ruled out any drugging, the boys were placed under temporary care in Portugal. Investigations revealed that the mother had left France with the children approximately two weeks prior, prompting concerns about their safety. Notably, the Portuguese National Republican Guard confirmed the arrest of a 41-year-old woman and a 55-year-old man on charges of child abuse, endangerment, and abandonment. The trio had entered Portugal from Spain, covering a significant distance before abandoning the children.
Concerned family members reported the children missing, leading to the arrest of the parents on suspicion of severe misconduct. The joint effort between French and Portuguese authorities shed light on the troubling circumstances surrounding the abandonment of the young siblings.