French mum accused of blindfolding, abandoning sons in Portugal remanded

A French woman and her partner have been remanded in custody in Portugal, facing serious charges related to the abandonment of her two young sons, aged four and five. A court in Setubal ordered the 41-year-old woman and the 55-year-old man to be held in pretrial detention. They are accused of child endangerment and abandonment. The man also faces a charge of aggravated assault against one of the children. The couple was arrested on Thursday in Fatima, a central Portuguese town, after being found at an outdoor cafe. Portuguese authorities described their demeanor as detached and withdrawn, showing little reaction to the situation. The two boys were discovered crying by the roadside near Alcacer do Sal on Tuesday evening. They were found with backpacks containing food and water, but no identity documents. The children have since been placed with a French foster family in Lisbon while awaiting their return to France. The case has garnered significant attention in both Portugal and France. The boys had been living with their mother in Colmar, France, and their father had limited, supervised visitation rights. French authorities had been searching for the mother and children since May 11, after the father reported them missing. The court heard testimony for two days before issuing its decision. The man reportedly shouted "I love you" in French upon arrival at the courthouse, while the mother hummed a melody. As he was being transported away, he also shouted "Portugal Armageddon" towards journalists.

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After something like this, abandoning two young children, finding this couple relaxed at an outdoor cafe for hours was quite shocking.