The father of two young boys found abandoned in a rural area of Portugal has broken his silence, saying the children will need to 'rebuild their lives' after the traumatic incident. The boys, aged three and five, were discovered walking by a road near Alcacer do Sal by a local baker on his way to work. They appeared 'distraught' and 'crying'.
The mother, Marine Rousseau, 41, and her boyfriend Marc Ballabriga, 55, were arrested two days after allegedly blindfolding the boys, leaving them in the woods, and driving off. They face charges of child abandonment, endangerment, and aggravated assault. The judge ordered pre-trial detention.
The father, who has requested anonymity, told French TV channel Ici Alsace TV: 'It's only a matter of days before I get my children back. I think about them every second.' He added: 'My children will have to rebuild their lives, just as I rebuilt mine, and they don't need to be constantly reminded of this tragedy. I'm not trying to defend or minimise what happened - it's deeply shocking.'
The father divorced Rousseau two years ago and had limited supervised visits. The boys had been living with the couple in Colmar, eastern France, before being driven to Portugal. French authorities have requested the children's return. They are currently in temporary foster care.
