A British father has spoken of his desperation to find his two baby daughters after they were taken from their home in an Algarve village by their mother more than ten days ago.

The woman is understood to still be in the country with the two children, and authorities have reportedly been informed by a relative that both she and the two young girls are well.


Aaron Rodwell said today he was caught completely unaware by his partner’s actions.

Mr. Rodwell, from Southport, Liverpool, has lived in the Algarve with his partner Christine Davies, 28, and their two daughters for “almost a year exactly” after moving to Albufeira last year. They recently made the decision to move to the quieter inland village of Boliqueime.


He admitted that he "did not know what to do" when he came home on 4 April to find the villa they had been renting “had been turned upside down”, with no sign of his partner of 15 years and their two children Lily, who is 18 months old and Ruby, who he explains was born prematurely at Faro Hospital three months ago.


Speaking to The Portugal News, Mr. Rodwell said “You can’t foresee something like this happening, because if there are any problems at home, for example, this wouldn’t be the way to go about solving them. And if there are problems, the way to go would be a separation; child-snatching is just bizarre.”


Addressing the couple’s home routine Mr. Rodwell explained he stayed at home to look after the two small girls while Christine worked at a local bar.

“I had an accident some years ago and I got a payout, so I didn’t have to work. I stayed at home with the babies. It was like a reversal of roles.”

He reveals that “besides the usual differences between couples, I really didn’t expect any of this”, adding: “I have got no clear indication of what has happened.”

Questioned as to whether he had any relationship troubles, he replied: “The only real issue we have had has been that I’ve told her to come home from work.

“The time she has been spending away working has been too long, especially for Ruby, who is three-months old and was born prematurely in January.”

Although admitting “everything wasn’t great all the time” between the couple, the father-of-two stressed “we were just a normal household. Everyone has arguments.”

He adds they argued the night before Ms. Davies left.

“I’d asked her to come home early because there had been a power cut in the village and I was struggling in the dark with the two small babies. When I asked her to come home it felt like she didn’t want to be at home. Was that because of me? Or because she was having problems with the children? I don’t know the answers to that.”

Recalling the morning the day Ms. Davies left, the Liverpool F.C. supporter said: “I got up, had some breakfast and said goodbye. I was going to town to print some flight details off. I asked Christine if she fancied coming into town with me while I was running some errands but she said she didn’t feel up to it.”

He continues: “As soon as I got back I knew something was wrong. The place was upside down, there was a bit of damage in the kitchen. It just looked like things had been knocked over by accident to be hasty.”

He continues to reveal that police have told him that all airports have been placed on alert, “So I’m pretty certain she is being sheltered by people in the community and has not left the country.”

“Somebody has helped her without having any background information on our relationship”, he says.

Sources have also since told The Portugal News they believe the children are still in the Algarve and believe this could be the result of a domestic disagreement and not the result of a criminal action.

Mr. Rodwell further claims he has been told that Ms. Davies was driven off from the rented villa in a “white Portuguese rental car” by a male companion, and says he has had “zero contact” in the days she has been gone.


His mother has received an email from Ms. Davies “to say she is alive.”


“I’ve just been going round and round”, Mr. Rodwell continues; “I haven’t been to sleep. All I’m doing is just driving up and down, handing out posters.”

Of Christine’s whereabouts, he says: “It feels to me like she’s here and she’s being kept by someone else. She’s being helped.”

GNR police have meanwhile confirmed they have no record of any complaints of domestic violence lodged by Rodwell's partner.

They stressed they will only stop the investigation once they have made visual contact with Ms. Davies and the girls, and will then pass the case on to the relevant authorities.

Rodwell also says that he is exploring the possibility that she might have met somebody else, but argues if that were the case, “it doesn’t justify her leaving with the kids.”

“If she was worried, she could have just done to the police”, he reasons further, but when asked why he spent days for looking for his family without notifying police, he says: “My head was in a mess and I was in shock.”

While Aaron Rodwell is a stay-at-home dad and his partner works at a local bar, he says he pleaded with the mother of his children to take a break "for a year or so" before going back to work.

He explains that after the disappearance of his daughters, he noticed that savings in their room of at least 5,000 euros were missing plus money had been taken out of their account.

“She removed most of the children’s clothes, but she left toys behind which I would love to give to them as they are missing out on their new toys.”

Mr Rodwell says while he still has the keys to the three bedroom villa which they have rented, he “just can’t stand sitting there looking at the four walls” and has checked in to a hotel.

He concluded by pledging to stay in the Algarve until his children are found or his partner presents herself to the authorities.

The distraught Briton, who is being supported by family members who have flown to Portugal from the UK, says: “All I want is my babies back”.


“I just want to walk into a police station where I can see those two kids right in front of my eyes. That’s all I want. I haven’t been away from them for a day since they were born.”

The British Embassy in Portugal said: 'We are providing advice and support to a British national who has reported three members of his family missing in Portugal.'

* The story is being updated as new information emerges