The disappearance of siblings Ágatha Isabelly, aged 6, and Allan Michael, aged 4, completed eight months on Friday (4), with no information on the whereabouts of the children. They disappeared on January 4, 2026, in the quilombola community São Sebastião dos Pretos, in the rural area of Bacabal, 250 km from São Luís.
For the mother, Clarice Cardoso, life stopped since the day her children disappeared. Despite the lack of answers, she says she remains hopeful of finding them again.
"No mother gives up on her child, right? And I won't give up on my children. I will never lose my hope of finding my children alive. I dream and have faith that this day will come", he said.
Over the last eight months, the case has mobilized security forces, volunteers and representatives of the National Congress. However, no concrete clues about the children's whereabouts have been released so far.
The last visit by representatives of the National Congress to the community took place in May. The group was part of the External Commission on Preventing and Combating Child and Youth Sexual Violence, created weeks earlier.
With authorization to carry out investigations, technical inspections and monitor serious complaints in the country, the parliamentarians came to Maranhão to listen to the children's mother and authorities responsible for the investigation.
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Family maintains hope
Her maternal grandparents, who live next to Clarice's house, also try to cope with their homesickness with the hope that their grandchildren are alive.
"Hope never ends, because if something had happened, we would already have an answer. Hope is always to find it," said José Emídio Prego Reis, the children's grandfather.
Grandmother Francisca Cardoso believes that her grandchildren may have been taken by someone. According to her, the noise of helicopters still triggers memories of the operations carried out in the community.
"Hope for me has never died. We cry, there are days when we sleep well, there are days when we don't sleep, it's like that. In my mind they were taken. Someone is with them, hidden. And well hidden, because you don't find anything, nobody doesn't see, nobody doesn't communicate anything", he said.
Cousin was found three days later
An 8-year-old boy was found this Wednesday afternoon (7), in the rural area of Bacabal. — Photo: Reproduction/TV Mirante
Ágatha and Allan disappeared after going out to play with their cousin Anderson Kauã, aged 8, who is autistic. The boy was found alive by residents three days later, approximately four kilometers from the place where the children disappeared.
According to his father, despite psychological support, Anderson still cannot explain what happened after the group entered the forest.
After receiving medical discharge, Anderson participated in the reconstruction of the path taken by the three children, with authorization from the Court. According to the boy's report, the group went out to look for a passion fruit tree and entered the forest through another path so as not to be seen by an uncle.
Anderson also indicated an abandoned cabin, known as the “fallen house”, near the Mearim River, where the children would have passed.
Searches mobilized around 2 thousand people
Mobilized community: hundreds help in the search for missing children in Bacabal (MA) — Photo: Reproduction/ TV Mirante
The disappearance mobilized civil and military police, firefighters, members of the Armed Forces and volunteers. In total, around 2 thousand people participated in the land and water searches.
The teams used helicopters, drones, sniffer dogs, divers and sonar equipment. The sweeps passed through dense forest areas, rivers, lakes and the banks of the Mearim River, but no trace of the children was found.
Objects and clothing were also located during the operations. The family and the Maranhão State Department of Public Security reported, however, that the materials did not belong to the children.
The field searches were reduced after the teams covered the area delimited by the investigation. The investigation began to focus on investigative work.
Investigation continues
In a statement, the State Secretariat for Public Security of Maranhão (SSP-MA) reported that work to locate Ágatha and Allan continues. The agency stated that it cannot disclose details because the investigation is under judicial secrecy.
The secretariat also reinforced that information that could help locate children can be passed on by calling 190, from the Military Police, or 181, from the Hotline. It is not necessary to identify yourself.
In recent months, false publications on social media claimed that the children had been found or that they were victims of an international organ trafficking network. False reports about clashes and deaths of public officials also circulated.
The Public Security Secretariat stated that false or unconfirmed content could harm the investigation and increase the family's suffering.
INFOGRAPHIC - Missing children in Bacabal, Maranhão — Photo: Arte/g1
