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Missing Oldham boy found in France after six years, police say
It is believed he had escaped a ‘spiritual community’
A boy from Oldham who went missing six years ago has been found in France, authorities say.
Alex Batty was just 11 years old when he went missing in Spain back in October 2017.
He had been on holiday with his mother, Melanie, who was 37 and his grandfather, David, who was 58 at the time.
Both family members were prohibited from being with the boy due to domestic difficulties.
He traveled on a pre-agreed trip to Marbella with his mum – who does not have legal guardianship – and grandfather, but did not return home after two weeks.
Alex’s grandmother Susan Caruana said in 2018 she believed they may have settled into an ‘alternative lifestyle’ somewhere, and that they did not want him to go to school.
The public prosecutor of Toulouse has confirmed a teenager answering to the name of Alex Batty has been found in the town of Revel on Wednesday morning.
It is believed he was picked up by a lorry driver, who grew concerned about the situation and alerted police.
Investigators believe that Alex, now 17, had escaped a rural ‘spiritual community’ based in the foothills of the Pyrenees, mainly living in caravans and tents.
French prosecutors are certain the teenager is Alex Batty, as local newspaper La Depeche published: “Although he did not show any official documentation to the gendarmes who took him in, this young 17-year-old boy provided his identity on his own
“His face and his story correspond in every way to that of the Briton kidnapped in 2017.
“This Thursday the Toulouse public prosecutor confirmed that is indeed Alex Batty.
“His story has been verified and appears to correspond to reality. Following this hearing, the teenager was entrusted to the department’s social services, while waiting for his relatives to come forward.”
It is believed the boy was in good health and did not say he had been mistreated in any way.
A spokesperson for GMP said: “This is a complex and long-running investigation, and we need to make further enquiries as well as putting appropriate safeguarding measures in place.”