Missing UK Teenager Found in France After Six Years; Suspected Abduction by Mother, Grandfather

French authorities have located Alex Batty, a British teenager who went missing in Spain six years ago at the age of 11. He was discovered in a mountainous region in southern France.

Alex Batty, originally from Oldham, England, is set to return home this weekend after being picked up by a driver in France. French and British police have confirmed his identity through thorough checks.

Police suspect that his mother, Melanie Batty, and grandfather, David Batty, abducted him in 2017 under the guise of a family holiday in Spain. They later moved to alternative lifestyle communes in Spain and then to the French Pyrenees.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Antoine Leroy stated that Alex would be handed back to his maternal grandmother in the UK. The reunion is expected to take place either tomorrow or the day after.

Alex’s grandmother, Susan Caruana, expressed relief and happiness over the discovery. She stated, “The main thing is that he’s safe, after what would be an overwhelming experience for anyone, not least a child.”

Assistant Chief Constable Chris Sykes of Greater Manchester Police emphasized the priority of getting Alex back to the UK and reuniting him with his family in Oldham as soon as possible.

According to Leroy, Alex, his mother, and grandfather had lived a nomadic life, spending time in Spain, Morocco, and France over the past six years. The teenager, who claimed to have faced no physical violence during this time, reported past sexual abuse.

Alex revealed that he decided to escape when his mother planned to go to Finland, where she is believed to be currently residing. The 17-year-old walked for four nights toward Toulouse before being discovered by a delivery driver.

Social services are currently taking care of Alex, and there is no doubt about his identity, according to the public prosecutor. Further checks will be conducted upon his return to the UK.

The discovery was made by a student named Fabien Accidini, a delivery driver, who shared that Alex had been living in Spain in a luxury house with around 10 people before arriving in France in 2021. He expressed no animosity towards his mother but expressed a desire to return to his grandmother in the UK.