A child’s world should be safe and bright. But for these kids, their own mother led them into the dark and left them there.

WHAT HAPPENED

Police in Portugal found the children in a thick forest. They were wearing blindfolds and had been left alone in the wild.

The mother is now in a high-security women's prison. She is waiting for her trial while the children get help for their scary time.

Police found videos of the mother’s partner. In the clips, he talks about the world ending and uses scary words about the future.

WHAT THE EVIDENCE SHOWS

The children were found blindfolded in the deep woods.

• The mother is in Portugal’s toughest jail.
• Videos show the partner talking about the "end of the world."
• A judge said the mother must stay in jail for now.
• The children are now safe with the state.

THE BIGGER QUESTION

How does a parent’s fear of the future become more important than a child’s safety today? We often see how strange ideas pull families apart.

This story makes us ask how many other kids are living in fear because of what their parents believe. It is a hard look at how fast things can go wrong when people stop trusting the real world.

THE OTHER SIDE

The mother’s lawyers have not said much yet. They might argue she was scared or under the power of her partner.

Based on the fact that the kids were left alone and blindfolded, this will be a very hard case to win.

WHAT HAPPENS NOW

The children are with doctors and people who can help them feel safe again. They have a long road ahead to get over what happened.

The mother will stay in a high-security cell. Police are still looking into the partner to see if he told her to do it.

WHAT WE STILL DON'T KNOW

1. Where is the partner who made the videos?
2. How long were the children left alone in the dark?
3. Did anyone else help the mother leave the kids there?