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Mum Who Kidnapped Boy When He Was 11, Goes on The Run to Spain
Alex Batty: Boy Missing For Six Years, Kidnapped When He Was 11, Returned to UK - Mystery Why He Fled French Commune
From the rural guesthouse in France where Alex had been living to mother Melanies' move to Finland and conspiracy theory beliefs, here's everything we know about the British teens' remarkable story
Daily Mail 20 DEC 2023
Cops talking with Alex Batty about his 'kidnap' ordeal and escape from 'spiritual community' in France as he wakes in England for first time in six years after emotional reunion with his grandmother Susan Caruana
The 17-year-old flew from Frances' Toulouse Blagnac airport to Amsterdam before finally touching down in Manchester, escorted by police officers.
The teenager, who vanished when he was 11, was seen walking off the plane with a skateboard tucked under his arm before being whisked away for an emotional reunion with his grandmother, whom it is understood he will live with.
Susan Caruana, who lives in Oldham, has been searching for her grandson since he allegedly kidnapped by his mother, Melanie Batty, and grandfather, David Batty after failing to return from a pre-agreed trip to Malaga.
Alexs' return to British soil marked the end of a long journey after he was found on Wednesday by a delivery driver escaping life in a 'spiritual community' in the French Pyrenees.
French authorities, who have spoken with Alex, confirmed that he had been 'accompanied by British police officers' on a KLM flight via Amsterdam on Saturday before being taken to his Mrs Curuana so she could confirm his identity.
On Friday, the teen's grandmother spoke of her 'relief and happiness' that her beloved grandson had finally been found after years of desperate searching.
'I spoke with him last night and it was so good to hear his voice and see his face again,' Mrs Curuana said in a statement released by police on Friday.
'I can't wait to see him when we're reunited. The main thing is that he's safe, after what would be an overwhelming experience for anyone, not least a child.'
Matt Boyle of Greater Manchester Police confirmed Alex's 'safe return back to the UK after six years'.
Since September 2017 Alex is thought to have been living in a 'spiritual community' in the French Pyrenees with his mother, then 37, and grandfather, then 58
French cops said on Friday that Alex said his mother had decided to flee the mountain community to Finland following the death of his grandfather six months ago.
Assistant Prosecutor Antoine Leroy said: 'When his mother indicated that she was going to leave with him to Finland, this young man understood that this had to stop.
'So then he decided to leave the place where he was with his mother and walked for four days and four nights.'
Police said last night they had not yet been able to locate Ms Batty who could be in Finland.
Neighbours living near to the isolated farmhouse where Alex was said to have been living have given contradictory reports, however, claiming that his grandfather - known to locals as Peter - was alive.
They claimed they saw Peter seen mowing the lawn of the Gite de la Bastide in the hamlet La Bastide, about an hour's drive south of Carcassonne.
A neighbour, who gave his name only as Sebastian, said: 'Peter is not dead. I saw him a week ago, maybe ten days. He was mowing the grass in front of the Gite.
'I know this because my mum's dog loves him. She is a white border collie and he throws a stick for her.'
Sebastian said that Alex - known to locals as Zak - had lived in the Gite with his grandfather part of the time and spent the rest of the time with his mother somewhere in the neighbouring department of Ariege.
Alex was found on a deserted countryside road heading towards Toulose on Wednesday at 3am by 26-year-old Fabien Accidini, a student and delivery driver from Marseilles.
The exhausted teen was seen carrying a skateboard, a flashlight and a rucksack on his back when he was picked up by Fabien.
Fabien told La Depeche newspaper of the moment he discovered the teenager: 'He was walking while the rain fell in heavy drops. The second time I passed him, I decided to offer to drop him off somewhere.
'He was quite tall and blond, and dressed in black jeans, a white sweater and a backpack. He also carried a skateboard under his arm and a flashlight for lighting. His attitude gave me confidence. He ended up getting into my van.'
Fabien said that Alex seemed tired and stressed when he picked him up, but was 'really fine physically'.
He added: 'During the first few minutes, he seemed a little shy. We tried to speak in French but I noticed that he had not mastered the language.
Alex Batty disappeared with his mother Melanie Batty and grandfather David Batty in 2017
Gite de la Bastide, remote part of the Pyrenees where teenager Alex Batty was living with his Grandfather David Batty
Map of Escape Route After Kidnapping
Full interview: Sky News Speaks to Student Who Found Kidnapped Briton Alex Batty
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