Parents Arrested After Abandoning Young Boys During 1,200-Mile Journey
CCTV shows sexologist mum and stepdad on 1,200-mile journey to abandon boys, 5 and 3, in woods on fake ‘treasure hunt’

Image: The Sun
Marine Rousseau, 41, and her partner Marc Ballabriga, 55, have been arrested in Portugal after allegedly abandoning their two young boys, aged five and three, during a 1,200-mile journey from France. The children were found crying on a rural road, having been left under the pretense of a treasure hunt. They are now in foster care, while the parents face charges including child abandonment.
- 01CCTV footage captured the family at a petrol station just hours before the abandonment.
- 02The children were found near Alcacer do Sal, Portugal, with no identification.
- 03The parents allegedly told the boys they were playing a game called 'drive away the devil'.
- 04Local residents alerted authorities after becoming suspicious of the couple's behavior.
- 05The couple faces extradition to France for prosecution after their arrest in Portugal.
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Marine Rousseau, a 41-year-old sexologist, and her partner Marc Ballabriga, 55, are facing serious charges after allegedly abandoning their two young sons, Barthelemy and Zacharie, aged five and three, in a Portuguese forest during a 1,200-mile journey from Colmar, France. CCTV footage shows the family at a petrol station in Miranda do Douro shortly before the incident, where the children were seen playing in the car. The couple reportedly claimed to be engaging the boys in a treasure hunt game called 'drive away the devil', which involved blindfolding them and instructing them to find buried knives. The children were discovered crying on a rural road between Alcacer do Sal and Comporta, approximately 90 minutes south of Lisbon, after a local bakery worker alerted the police. Rousseau and Ballabriga were arrested at a café in Fatima after a concerned pensioner recognized them from news reports. The boys are now in foster care and reported to be in good health. The couple is expected to face extradition to France due to European Arrest Warrants issued for their prosecution on charges including child abandonment and domestic violence.
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The case has raised awareness about child safety and the responsibilities of parents, prompting discussions on legal measures for child protection.
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