Girl is rescued after being promised in marriage to pay off debt

The two were on a flight from Dakar, Senegal, and pretended to be mother and daughter. The suspect was discovered during an interview with immigration inspectors on Friday.

Woman was detained after border agents identified inconsistencies in the child's documents. The document used by the girl belonged to another person, according to the PSP (Public Security Police of Portugal).

Interviewed by a specialized team, the girl told the police that she was handed over by her parents to be taken to France under a "marriage promise". According to the report, she would be given to a man to whom she had been promised as a way to pay off a family debt.

The child also said that he was afraid of returning to his country of origin or being returned to his parents. She said she feared being used again as a way to pay debts.

The suspect admitted to having received money to transport and deliver the minor. Given the evidence, the PSP detained the woman and immediately removed the child, after validation from the Public Prosecutor's Office. The investigation continues to clarify the circumstances and identify possible people involved.

Portuguese justice ordered preventive detention for the woman. The suspect underwent the first judicial interrogation and had the coercive measure applied.

Now, the police are trying to understand whether there is a criminal network that claimed other victims of this type. Investigations are also ongoing to understand how the trip was organized.

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