CCTV footage published by CNN Portugal shows a couple from France driving into Portugal and stopping at a petrol station in Miranda do Douro, near the Spanish border, reportedly on the route to where two young children would later be abandoned. The boys, aged four and five, were later found walking along a rural road between Alcácer do Sal and Comporta in southern Portugal around 7pm on May 19. According to reports, the children had been left with minimal supplies including fruit, water, and a change of clothes. On May 21, Portuguese authorities detained their 41-year-old mother and 55-year-old stepfather in Fátima, more than 100 miles away. The Republican National Guard confirmed the arrests on suspicion of abuse, abandonment, and endangering minors. Officials said the pair were being investigated after a Europe-wide missing persons alert had been issued by French authorities following a report from the children’s biological father.

Local residents Eugenia and Artur Quintas discovered the boys and alerted authorities after finding them distressed and walking alone on the roadside. According to reports from the BBC and Reuters, the children told rescuers they had been told they were playing a game and left with food, water, and instructions linked to a so-called “drive away the devil” scenario. Investigators say the couple allegedly used the idea of a game involving blindfolds and hidden objects to mislead the children before abandoning them. Portuguese police confirmed the arrests on suspicion of domestic violence and abandonment, while authorities continue to examine the full timeline of events. The children are now in protective care as officials assess their welfare and coordinate with French authorities regarding custody and future safeguarding arrangements.