Bizarre social media posts of sexologist mother who abandoned children 'blindfolded in woods’ emerge

Further details about the mum accused of abandoning her young children in a forest in Portugal have come to light.

Marine Rousseau, 41, and her partner Marc Ballabriga, 55, were arrested on Thursday (21 May) after her sons were found roaming along a remote stretch of road two days previously.

Police found the pair in a café near the capital of Lisbon, around 100 miles away from where the little lads - aged three and five - were found 'crying and shouting' by locals.

Rousseau and Ballabriga, who is not the children's biological father, are alleged to have 'blindfolded' the youngsters after leading them into woodland for what they thought was a treasure hunt.

According to reports, they told the children that they were going to play a game called 'drive away the devil', before before they are said to have then obstructed their vision. It is alleged that Rousseau and her boyfriend then fled.

CCTV cameras captured the mother and Ballabriga pausing at a petrol station en route to the woodland where the children claim to have been deserted, which shows the boys playing in the back of the vehicle.

Local man Alexandre Quintas said he later found the French children wandering on an isolated road that links Alcacer do Sal and the coastal resort of Comporta on Tuesday (19 May).

The mum, 41, is a sexologist who hails from France (LinkedIn)

Quintas said they were wearing backpacks which had clothes, a few snacks and a bottle of water inside.

The Good Samaritan contacted the police and the children were then placed under the care of social services as officials worked to track down their mother.

Rousseau and Ballabriga were tracked down two days later and subsequently arrested, the Portugal’s National Republican Guard (GNR) said. They are facing charges including domestic violence, child abandonment, and child neglect.

According to the BBC, her two sons had been reported missing from Colmar in eastern France on 11 May by their biological father.

In wake of the arrests of the mother and stepfather, a string of bizarre social media posts made by Rousseau while promoting her work as a 'sexologist' have reared their head.

And in another, she stated: "Kids are precious!"

The two boys, aged three and five, were allegedly abandoned in the forest with backpacks that included some supplies (Portugal's Republican National Guard)

In the bio of her Facebook page, she claims that thanks to her career in the scientific study of human sexuality, she can 'help every traumatised person to regain serenity and sexual fulfilment'.

A post shared on 28 June last year by Rousseau reads: "I'm a therapist because I'm passionate about the mind-body connection. And in my sessions, you are the active participants in your own growth!"

Another shared two days later saw her claim that 'traumatic stress' causes 'discreditation of your erotic potential and femininity', as she called on women to book an appointment with her to help them 'heal'.

Other subsequent posts see her discuss how her work as a sexologist can supposedly help families.

The mum is said to have studied psychomotricity at the Pierre and Marie Curie University in Paris, according to Euro News.

Rousseau and her partner Marc Ballabriga were arrested in Lisbon (Facebook)

In one shared on 17 July, 2025, Rousseau wrote: "Are you a parent and would you like to evoke s*xuality [sic] with your child, teenager or young person while respecting their sensitivity and development?

"DM me your best email and I’ll send you a questionnaire to co-build a never-released masterclass!!! With all my expertise, experience and energy! Marine the sex psychomot."

And on 8 November last year, she reshared a video of two people performing a stunt and accompanied it with another strange caption.

"The guy is flying," Rousseau wrote. "Beautiful. Wonder. No one knows what the body can said Feldenkrais. Experience. Perseverance. The technique of small steps. In love and joy!

"Excellent weekend to each and everyone here and a special wink to those who assume the role of parents: kids are precious!"

On Rousseau's LinkedIn page, she claims to 'support all types of requests with a pragmatic approach and a focus on the resulting transformation'.

"Sexuality is meant to be embodied and fully experienced with joy," she continues. "In institutional or individual settings, I create high-quality training programmes that I deliver with rigor, compassion and generosity."