Missing girl found in Spain a year after abduction by her mother

Saturday 11 April 2026 - 14:00

A six-year-old girl who had been missing for nearly a year after being taken by her mother in France has been found in Spain, bringing an end to a cross-border investigation involving multiple authorities.

The child was located in the coastal town of Lloret de Mar, where she had been living with her mother and grandmother. Spanish police confirmed that both women were arrested under European arrest warrants issued at the request of French authorities.

The case began in April 2025, when the girl was reported missing by her father in northern France following a custody dispute. According to investigators, the mother had recently lost legal custody of the child after repeatedly failing to comply with court decisions, including respecting visitation rights.

Authorities quickly suspected that the mother, assisted by the child’s grandmother, had taken the girl abroad. The trio was initially traced to the border town of La Jonquera, but disappeared shortly afterward, complicating efforts to locate them.

After months of investigation, Spanish police received new information in late March indicating that the group was in Lloret de Mar. Officers eventually found them on a beach in the town at the end of the month.

Investigators revealed that the child had been living in highly precarious conditions, in an occupied house without access to water or electricity. They also confirmed that she had not attended school since her disappearance, raising concerns about her well-being and development.

Following the arrests, the child was placed under the protection of Spanish child welfare services and is expected to be returned to France in coordination with judicial authorities.

The case highlights the challenges of cross-border child abduction cases within Europe and the importance of cooperation between national law enforcement agencies.