Two young brothers, aged 5 and 4, were discovered alone in a wooded area in Portugal after authorities say their mother allegedly abandoned them during what the children believed was a game.
The boys were found on the evening of May 19 in Monte Novo do Sul, a rural area south of Lisbon. A local couple who came across the children said the brothers were visibly distressed and crying for help.
According to Portuguese media reports, the children told rescuers their mother had blindfolded them and asked them to search for a toy as part of a game. When they removed the blindfolds moments later, she was gone.
Witness Artur Quintas, who found the children alongside his wife, said the boys appeared terrified and confused. The couple immediately contacted authorities after realizing the children had been left alone in the remote woodland.
French authorities have since opened an investigation into the case. The children’s 41-year-old mother is now being sought by police amid allegations of child abandonment and possible international abduction.
Investigators revealed the boys’ father had previously reported the mother for allegedly taking the children from France without permission. Prosecutors said officials tracked her movements through southern France, Spain, and eventually Portugal, but were unable to make contact.
The case has now been transferred to Portugal’s Judicial Police due to suspicions surrounding an international custody-related kidnapping. Authorities have not yet confirmed the mother’s whereabouts, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Cases involving cross-border custody disputes have become increasingly complex across Europe in recent years, often involving multiple law enforcement agencies and international legal cooperation. Officials say the children are now safe while the search for their mother continues.
