Detectives are preparing to speak to Alex Batty about his alleged abduction and escape from life in a “nomad” commune in France as the teenager wakes up in Britain for the first time in six years
The 17-year-old flew from France's Toulouse Blagnac airport to Amsterdam yesterday before finally landing in Manchester last night, accompanied by police officers.
The teenager, who disappeared when he was 11, was seen exiting the plane with a skateboard under his arm before being whisked away for an emotional reunion with his grandmother, with whom he is apparently living.
Susan Caruana, who lives in Oldham, has been searching for her grandson since he was allegedly kidnapped by his mother Melanie Batty and grandfather David Batty after he failed to return from a pre-arranged trip to Malaga.
Alex's return to British soil marked the end of a long journey after he was found by a delivery driver fleeing life in a “spiritual community” in the French Pyrenees on Wednesday.
Alex Batty, from Oldham, was 11 years old when he failed to return from a holiday in Spain with his mother Melanie, then 37, and grandfather David, then 58, in 2017. Earlier this week he Alex (pictured left) was found with his mother Melanie (centre) and grandfather David (right) Six years ago Alex's grandmother Susan Caruana said: “I cannot express my relief and joy that Alex has been found put into words” (picture above)
Last night Greater Manchester Police said they had not yet spoken to Alex about his disappearance.
Police said they would speak to the boy “at a pace that is comfortable for him” to determine “how he has been doing and where he has been during the years he was missing.”
French authorities who spoke to Alex confirmed that he was “accompanied by British police officers” on a KLM flight via Amsterdam on Saturday before being taken to his wife Curuana so she could confirm his identity.
On Friday, the teenager's grandmother spoke of her “relief and joy” that her beloved grandson had finally been found after years of desperate searching.
“I spoke to him last night and it was so good to hear his voice and see his face again,” Ms Curuana said in a statement released by police on Friday.
“I can't wait to see him when we are reunited. “The main thing is that he is safe after what would be an overwhelming experience for anyone, not least a child.”
Matt Boyle from Greater Manchester Police confirmed Alex's “safe return to the UK after six years”.
Since September 2017, Alex is said to have lived in a “spiritual community” in the French Pyrenees with his then 37-year-old mother and his then 58-year-old grandfather.
Alex Batty's grandmother Susan Caruana opens the door to reporters at her home in Oldham, Greater Manchester on Friday. Deputy Chief Matt Boyle speaks at Greater Manchester Police Headquarters after Alex Batty returns on December 16, 2023 in Manchester, United Kingdom
French authorities said Friday that Alex took part in a spiritual memorial ceremony honoring his grandfather.
French police said Friday that Alex said his mother had decided to flee the mountain community to Finland after his grandfather's death six months ago.
Deputy prosecutor Antoine Leroy said: “When his mother announced that she was going to Finland with him, this young man understood that this had to stop.”
“Then he decided to leave the place where he was with his mother and wandered for four days and four nights.”
Police said last night that they had not yet been able to locate Ms Batty in Finland.
However, neighbors living near the remote farmhouse where Alex is said to have lived have given conflicting reports, claiming that his grandfather – known locally as Peter – is still alive.
They claimed they saw Peter mowing the lawn at Gite de la Bastide in the hamlet of La Bastide, about an hour's drive south of Carcassonne.
A neighbor who gave his name only as Sebastian said: “Peter is not dead.” I saw him a week, maybe ten days ago. He mown the grass in front of the gite.
“I know this because my mom's dog loves him.” “She's a white border collie and he throws a stick at her.”
Alex's friends on Facebook include people who seemingly lived off the grid and practiced rituals, meditation, and yoga. This is a picture one of them posted on social media. Assistant Chief Constable Matt Boyle speaks to the media about British teenager Alex Batty at the Greater Manchester Police Force headquarters in Manchester on Saturday, December 16, 2023
Sebastian said Alex – known locally as Zak – lived in the gite with his grandfather for part of the time and spent the rest of the time with his mother somewhere in the neighboring Ariege department.
Alex was found on a deserted country road towards Toulouse at 3am on Wednesday by 26-year-old Fabien Accidini, a student and delivery driver from Marseille.
The exhausted teenager was carrying a skateboard, a flashlight and a backpack on his back when he was picked up by Fabien.
Fabien told La Depeche newspaper about the moment he spotted the teenager: “He was walking while the rain was falling in thick drops.” The second time I passed him, I decided to offer to drop him off somewhere.
“He was quite tall and blonde and was wearing black jeans, a white jumper and a backpack. He also carried a skateboard under his arm and a flashlight for illumination. His attitude gave me confidence. He ended up getting in my van.”
Fabien said Alex seemed tired and stressed when he picked him up but was “really fine physically”.
He added: “For the first few minutes he seemed a bit shy.” We tried to speak in French but I noticed he didn't speak the language.
Alex Batty disappeared in 2017 with his mother Melanie Batty and grandfather David Batty in the Gite de la Bastide, a remote part of the Pyrenees where teenager Alex Batty lived with his grandfather David Batty
“I decided to communicate in English. When I asked him his name, he said his name was Zach and then we continued talking.
Fabien said Alex told him that he lived in a “spiritual community” with his mother and grandfather after they kidnapped him.
Alex then went on to tell the driver that his mother was “a bit crazy” and “was in a bizarre state of delirium when he talked about spirituality”, but insisted that she had never locked him up and he could “leave whenever he wanted.” wanted”.
“He had no animosity towards his mother, but he really wanted to find his grandmother.” “He really missed his loved ones,” Fabien said.
“We talked for over three hours!” Very quickly he gave me his real identity – Alex Batty – before telling me his story.
“He said his mother kidnapped him when he was 12 years old. Since then, he has lived in a luxury house in Spain with around ten people for three years.
“He arrived in France around 2021. In the middle of the weekend he decided to leave his mother to join his family in England. He had been traveling for more than four days.'
Alex told Fabien that he now plans to go back to school to become an engineer, Afp reported.
Fabien took Alex to the police in Revel, near Toulouse. Alex told investigators he spent time in the spiritual community that focused on “ego work, meditation and reincarnation,” French prosecutors said.
Alex's cousin Stephen Devine said: “Alex's mother was involved in a cult.” His grandmother became his guardian, but then his mother Melissa and grandfather offered to take him on holiday for a week and they were never again seen.
“It will be a big change for him (being home). He probably grew up without any formal education.'
At the time of his disappearance, his grandmother said she assumed her daughter and ex-husband had taken him abroad after he had fallen into a cult-like lifestyle
French officials said of Alex's condition when he was examined by officers: “This young man was described by the police who saw him and by the doctors who examined him as 'tired' but in overall good health described.”
“He's supposed to be intelligent, even though he never went to school during all that time.”
Alex told investigators that his mother and grandfather had an “obsession” with solar energy and would move from house to house, taking the solar panels with them.
“The mother felt some sort of obsession with solar panels, so they traveled from house to house with solar panels,” Leroy said. “They only used car sharing; they didn’t have their own vehicle.”
Alex remained in the care of social services in Toulouse and his passport application was “fast-tracked” so he could return to the UK quickly.
Detectives from Greater Manchester Police then flew this week to the Ariege region of France, known for hippie camps, conspiracy theorists, sects and cults, to bring Alex home.
It is understood GMP officers are not currently being deployed to hunt his mother and grandfather as investigators work with their French counterparts on the ground.
The mayor of a rural Pyrenees hamlet, La Bastide, who knows the teenager, described Alex as a “cheerful and polite” young man, but added: “He will be happy to be with his grandmother again.”
Following Alex's return last night, Deputy Chief Boyle added: “Our focus remains on supporting Alex and his family, working with other local authorities, to ensure they are safe, their welfare is taken care of and his reintegration into society is as easy as possible.”
“We have yet to establish the full circumstances of his disappearance, but no matter what happens, understand that this could be an overwhelming process. “He may be six years older now than when he disappeared, but he is still a young person.”