A mother who left her minor children alone at home for five days is acquitted in court.

On Tuesday, a Braganza court acquitted a 43-year-old woman who left her five minor children alone at home in the city.

The defendant is responsible for being abandoned and subjected to domestic violence.

The accused went to Lisbon “to look at a house to rent, buy African food and grow dreadlocks,” it was proven at trial.

It was also proven that he left his children at home, handed them over to his older brother, who was 12 years old at the time, who was responsible for feeding, clothing and transporting them to school, and that the woman “knew that minors were not capable of take care of yourself” to perform basic daily tasks, except for the oldest ones

However, the panel of judges understood that the presence of intent in the actions had not been proven.

The incident occurred from February 16 to February 20, 2021. The children, including two twins, aged 1, 5, 7 and 12, were found unsanitary and unattended.

That day, police learned that “the children had been alone for five days under the care of their older brother, 12, who reported that their mother had gone to Lisbon on personal business,” he said at the time. sources of facts obtained from the police, Luse.

The family lived in the city of Bragança, and the unemployed mother raised five children without any further support from the family.

PSP said the children “were barefoot and dressed in pajamas, had no comfort, were completely neglected and lacked hygiene, and two babies were ‘dirty’.”

Agents found “bags of household garbage and food scraps, pots and plates, and food scraps in a sickening environment.”

In court, the defendant chose to remain silent. At the first judicial interview mentioned during the trial, the woman said she understood that she could not leave the house.

The minors were assisted by their mother’s friend during the two days they were without adult supervision.

At that time, five brothers were institutionalized. The court’s decision was based on a report compiled upon the children’s arrival at the facility, which described how, although they were dirty and poorly dressed at the time, they showed no signs such as malnutrition.

The boys were kept in the facility for four months until their mother could readmit them. They have since moved to the Leiria area, the court heard.

At the end of the meeting, lawyer Amilcar Cesar Fernandez was satisfied with the acquittal.

“Throughout the trial, we collected more than enough material in the file to convince the court that we never had any intention of abandoning the children or leaving them alone. On every trip to Lisbon, I made sure someone stayed with the children. But this person was absent in this episode,” the lawyer said.

In closing arguments, prosecutors asked for a conviction for domestic violence and abuse offenses with a four-year suspended sentence.