The father of two young boys who were found crying and wandering alone in Portuguese woods has refused to condemn his ex-wife for abandoning their children.His two sons, aged five and four, were discovered on a rural road between the Portuguese towns of Alcacer do Sal and Comporta on May 19, carrying backpacks with food and water but no identity documents. Their French mother, 41-year-old Marine Rousseau, and stepfather Marc Ballabriga, 55, were arrested for allegedly abandoning the schoolboys, hundreds of miles from their home in Colmar, eastern France.The boys' father, who only had limited and supervised visitation rights since his divorce two years ago, has spoken to the media for the first time since they were reported missing.While he won't 'defend or minimise the acts committed' and considers the situation 'serious and deeply shocking,' he said he refuses to fuel hate directed at the children's mother.'I refuse to add hateful words, insults, or derogatory terms intended to dehumanise a person, even if they are found guilty,' he told the French channel Ici Alsace TV.He appealed for media restraint and respect for the children's privacy. 'My children will need to rebuild their lives, just like me. They won't need to be constantly reminded of this tragedy,' he said. Frenchwoman Marine Rousseau (L) leaves the Setubal courthouse, suspected of abandoning two children, in Setubal, Portugal, on May 23, 2026 Frenchman Marc Ballabriga (C) leaves the Setubal courthouse, suspected of abandoning two children, in Setubal, Portugal, on May 23, 2026 Two young brothers, aged five and four, were abandoned by their mother and her partner in a wooded area in PortugalThe father spoke of enduring days of 'pain' while awaiting authorisation to see the boys, adding: 'It's only a matter of days until I get my children back.'He said he has thought about them 'every second' since being alerted by the French police of their disappearance.He is waiting for the 'green light' to travel to Portugal in order to retrieve them. 'Day and night, I have my phone by my side,' he said.Authorities said the boys' mother Marine and her partner Marc appeared to have no known connection to Portugal. The couple appeared in court on May 23 in handcuffs and were placed in pre-trial detention.They are both accused of child endangerment and abandonment, while the man faces an additional charge of aggravated assault. After arriving in Portugal with the two boys, the family travelled more than 310 miles, first going to the Miranda do Corvo region before heading further south to Alcacer do Sal.On May 19, the young boys were discovered by a local couple, Eugenia and Artur Quintas, some 60 miles south of Lisbon.Artur told local media: 'They were crying, they were terrified. They were crying and calling for their father.'He added that they were both covered in dirt and bruises, and one had hurt his knee.The boys told authorities that their parents told them they were going to play a game to 'drive away the devil'. The couple had blindfolded them and took them to the wooded area, before telling them they could only remove their eye covers once they had found a knife the couple had buried in the ground.The boys were digging around in the dirt for several minutes before the older boy removed their blindfolds.To their shock, the boys realised they were alone. Still believing that they were playing a game, they wandered the area for several hours through a part of Portugal that can reach up to 30C during the day at this time of year. The Quintases took the young children to their home and called the police, who quickly arrived and transferred them to Setúbal Hospital for a full health assessment. There, they were given a clean bill of health. A toxicology report revealed the boys had not been drugged by the parents. 'The oldest one told me that he and his brother had gotten lost in the forest and that their father and mother had left without taking them,' Artur said.He added: 'I realised right away that they had been abandoned by the backpacks. When I saw the way the backpacks were packed, I knew they had been abandoned.' Authorities said the boys' mother Marine and her partner Marc appeared to have no known connection to Portugal The boys were discovered in tears and carrying backpacks, with food and water but no identity documents