A FRENCH mother and her two young children were held captive for nearly two weeks by her ex-partner, who forced her to drive more than 2,000 km across Spain and Portugal with a knife at their throat.
She only escaped being dragged over to North Africa when she managed to send a text to a friend while her attacker lowered his guard.
The ordeal began in France, where the man is accused of kidnapping the woman, destroying her phone and cutting her off from any hope of seeking help.
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From there, the family travelled non-stop by car, sleeping inside the vehicle at service stations, unable to wash or change clothes, and surviving on a diet of bread, tinned tuna and biscuits bought in roadside petrol stations.
Police say the man repeatedly assaulted the woman during the journey – including sexual attacks carried out in front of the children – while holding a knife and threatening her to keep driving, allowing her little or no rest.
The woman is said to have driven long stretches through the night with her children in the back seat, terrified of making a mistake or stopping anywhere that might provoke a violent reaction.
He allegedly warned her that if she spoke to anyone, tried to signal for help, or failed to obey him, he would kill her and the children.
The breakthrough came only when the man briefly lowered his guard.
In that short moment, the woman managed to take a phone and send a message to a relative in France.
The message read: “He wants to kill me. Tell the police, they are the only ones who can save me. Delete this so he does not see it.”
French authorities immediately contacted the Policia Nacional in Spain, triggering a coordinated search that focused on roads, service areas and possible routes toward southern ports.
Investigators believe the man intended to reach North Africa, crossing from southern Spain to Algeria in an attempt to avoid arrest.
The search was led by officers from the family protection unit UFAM Central, who carried out surveillance and tracking with extreme caution due to the risk of provoking the suspect.
Police eventually tracked the family down in Malaga and carried out a discreet approach before making a lightning-fast raid to head off any sudden violence.
The woman and her children were taken directly to hospital.
Doctors reported dehydration and malnutrition in both children, while the mother was found with extensive bruising, bite marks and other signs of physical assault.
The children also had insect bites across their bodies after being forced to live in the vehicle without washing or being allowed outside safely.
Officers recovered the knife used to threaten the family, as well as the broken mobile phone.
The man was arrested and has been remanded in custody.
He is under investigation for attempted homicide, aggravated and continued sexual assault, illegal detention, domestic and gender-based abuse, violation of privacy, damage to property and is the subject of a European arrest warrant issued by the French authorities.
The family is now receiving medical treatment and psychological support.
Police described the rescue as ‘a race against time’ and said the priority throughout was to avoid “any action that could place the victims at further risk.”
The investigation remains open.
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