Full Breakdown
French Mother and Partner Remanded After Abandoning Two Young Sons in Portugal
5/24/2026, 2:59:51 AM
Abandonment and Discovery
On 19 May 2026 two French boys were found crying beside a rural road near Alcácer do Sal, about 100 km (60 mi) south of Lisbon. They carried backpacks with food, water and a change of clothes but no identification. A passing motorist, Alexandre Quintas, and his wife rescued them and took them to a police station.
Background and Cross-Border Search
The children’s father reported them missing from their home in Colmar, France, on 11 May. French authorities issued a European arrest warrant, prompting a coordinated search that led to the boys’ discovery in Portugal. Portuguese police and the National Republican Guard (GNR) subsequently opened investigations in both countries.
Timeline
- 11 May – Father files missing-person report in Colmar.
- 19 May – Boys found on road near Alcácer do Sal; rescued by Quintas.
- 21 May – Mother Marine Rousseau (41) and partner Marc Ballagriga (55) arrested in Fátima.
- 22 May – Couple appears before investigating judge Antonio Fialho in Setúbal.
- 23 May – Judge orders pre-trial detention; children placed with a French foster family in Lisbon.
Key Figures and Data
- Marine Rousseau, 41, self-described “sexologist” specializing in trauma-related body practices.
- Marc Ballagriga, 55, former French gendarmerie officer with a 2010 conviction for domestic violence.
- Children: two brothers, ages reported as 3 and 5 in some outlets and 4 and 5 in others.
- Location: road linking Alcácer do Sal and the coastal resort of Comporta, roughly 100 km south of Lisbon.
- Distance from abandonment site to arrest site: about 170 km (105 mi).
Official Statements and Responses
Investigating judge Antonio Fialho said the pair are suspected of child endangerment, abandonment and aggravated assault, describing them as a flight risk and ordering pre-trial detention. The Public Prosecutor’s Office requested this measure, and GNR spokesperson Lt. Col. Carlos Canatário noted the couple appeared “detached” during questioning. Portuguese authorities stated the children are in “good health” and will be returned to France only after a formal request from French judicial authorities.
Criticism and Opposition
GNR officials criticised the couple’s “very distant attitude” and highlighted Ballagriga’s prior domestic-violence conviction, suggesting a pattern of abusive behaviour. Media reports of the pair shouting at each other in separate cells further underscored concerns about their suitability as caregivers.
Conflicting Reports and Gaps
Sources differ on the boys’ exact ages (3 vs 4 and 5) and on the precise discovery point—some cite a roadside near Alcácer do Sal, others a forested area close to the Comporta resort. The exact moment of abandonment remains unverified.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I love you” — Marc Ballagriga, shouted in French during the court appearance.
- “We asked them if they liked ice cream,” Alexandre Quintas told Observador. “And we gave them something to eat and some toys to keep them occupied.”
- “Through the car's rearview mirror I saw them coming towards me screaming and crying,” — Alexandre Quintas.
- “To trick them, the parents blindfolded them and put them in the forest to play a game,” — Alexandre Quintas.
- “It was precisely because they had been on the same terrace for so long that a neighbour alerted the authorities,” — Lt. Col. Carlos Canatário.
What’s Next
The couple remains in pre-trial detention pending further hearings. Portuguese and French prosecutors are coordinating the children’s eventual repatriation, while the courts will decide whether additional charges, such as aggravated assault, will be pursued.
