Moroccan Father Arrested at Spanish Border for Attempted Child Abduction

As she and her 9 and 7-year-old brothers were about to board the boat with their father towards Nador, the 13-year-old girl asked a port agent in Almeria for help, clinging to him and begging him not to let her father take her away. This reaction from the minor led the agents to arrest the Moroccan and place the children in a safe environment "where they could express themselves freely", relays El Debate.

The minor explained to the agents that she and her brothers reside in Madrid with their legal guardian, a relative of their deceased mother. Their father, living in Morocco, would have taken advantage of a visit to forcibly take them away, without obtaining the required legal authorization. After the usual checks, the agents found that the minors’ visas had expired two years ago and the father’s visa was valid.

The agents contacted the juvenile court to verify the information provided by the children. The latter confirmed that the minors are under the guardianship of a relative residing in Madrid. The girl and her two brothers were transferred to a specialized center, pending their return to their guardian. The police opened an investigation to shed light on this case and decide the fate of the Moroccan.