Spanish authorities have confirmed the arrest of a French couple in late December over plans to allegedly “sacrifice” their five-year-old son in the Sahara, believing the child to be “possessed.”
The arrest took place on December 21 in Algeciras, a southern port in Spain, as the family was preparing to board a ferry bound for Tangiers, Morocco.
According to a statement released by the Guardia Civil police force, a “couple of French origin” was apprehended with intentions to commit “the murder of their five-year-old son in the Sahara, under the belief that he was possessed.”
Both parents, reportedly struggling with psychiatric issues, were also subjects of a European arrest warrant related to the abduction of a minor, as indicated by the Guardia Civil.
Following their arrest, the couple has been detained in Spain under judicial custody.
Meanwhile, the child, confirmed to be in good health, has been relocated to a reception centre for minors in Spain. Authorities plan to repatriate the child to France.
The case remains under investigation as Spanish authorities assess the situation.
