A French mother and her partner have been detained in Portugal after leaving her two young sons on the side of a road in northern France, according to local authorities. The boys, aged 3 and 5, were found wandering near the A26 motorway in Pas-de-Calais on Tuesday evening, sparking a cross-border investigation.
Police say the woman, a 32-year-old from Lille, and her 38-year-old partner fled to Portugal following an argument that escalated into what prosecutors have described as a 'reckless abandonment'. The children were discovered by a passing driver who alerted emergency services. Both were unharmed and are now in the care of child welfare services.
A European arrest warrant was issued, and Portuguese authorities detained the pair at a hotel in the Algarve region on Thursday. They are expected to be extradited to France within days. The mother faces charges of endangering minors, which carries a potential prison sentence of up to seven years. Her partner, who is not the children's father, could face similar charges.
This case has reignited debate in France over parental responsibility and the pressures facing families. The local mayor described it as 'a tragedy of modern life, where financial and emotional strain pushes people to breaking point'. France's child protection services are already overstretched, handling over 300,000 cases annually. This incident, while extreme, shines a spotlight on the systemic failures that leave vulnerable children at risk.
The boys' grandparents have been contacted and are seeking custody. The father is believed to be living elsewhere in France. Meanwhile, the investigation continues into the circumstances that led to the abandonment. 'We need to understand the full story,' said the prosecutor. 'But nothing excuses leaving children on a motorway.'
