Melanie Batty the mother of Alex Batty is yet to be found
Six years after disappearing during a vacation in Spain in October 2017, Alex Batty was discovered alive in the Pyrenees mountains in France by Fabien Accidini, a student from Toulouse, on Wednesday, December 13, 2023.
When Accidini found him on the side of the road in Revel, France, Alex’s first words were, “My mother kidnapped me when I was 12 years old,” according to the media reports.
Who is Melanie Batty mother of missing boy Alex Batty now found as he reveals she kidnapped him with grandfather
Greater Manchester Police say they are working with the French authorities to bring 17-year-old Alex Batty back to the UK.
"I can only imagine the emotions they have experienced as a family throughout this ordeal."https://t.co/mIgdzkwDAI
📺 Sky 501, Freeview 233 and YouTube pic.twitter.com/Ji12OfHsAu
— Sky News (@SkyNews) December 15, 2023
A delivery driver who rescued missing Alex Batty in France has told Sky News that the British teenager just wants "to live a normal life".
Read more: https://t.co/ZTyPavK2Xw pic.twitter.com/LrDRxfilXg
— Sky News (@SkyNews) December 14, 2023
Originally from Oldham, Greater Manchester, Alex Batty vanished while traveling in Spain with his mother, 38-year-old Melanie, and his grandfather, 59-year-old David, who lacked parental guardianship.
The reports suggested that Alex, now 17, recounted the past six years of his life to Accidini, who found him while delivering medicines in Revel, France.
Accidini Shared Experience
Accidini shared with La Depeche that he saw Alex walking in the foothills of the Pyrenees mountains early on Wednesday morning and offered him a lift.
In a video interview, Accidini described how Alex initially seemed shy but eventually opened up during their three-hour conversation.
According to Accidini, Alex revealed that he had been kidnapped by his mother and grandfather. He spent three years in Spain and two years in France, expressing a desire for a normal life, to reunite with his grandmother, and to have a regular future.
Who is Alex’s Mother?
Melanie Batty, Alex’s mother, went on a pre-arranged vacation to Spain with her father and Alex in October 2017. They were expected to return on October 8, 2017, but never did.
Susan Caruana, Alex’s grandmother and legal guardian, expressed concerns about Melanie’s opposition to Alex attending mainstream school. Caruana received a video on Facebook from Melanie, explaining her reasons for not returning and citing lifestyle differences.
Using Accinini’s Facebook, Alex reached out to his grandmother with a heartfelt message, expressing his desire to come home. Caruana, thrilled that her grandson was found, stated that she had spoken to him and was eagerly awaiting his return.
Alex left the UK on 30 September 2017 for a family holiday in Spain with his then 43-year-old mother, Melanie Batty, and her father, David Batty, who was then 64.
Alex from Oldham, Lancashire, was just 11 when he did not return from a holiday to Spain with his mother Melanie, then 37.
Alex had been walking in the Pyrenees mountains for four days before being picked up by Accidini. He remained serene and calm as he shared his story with the French police.
The Greater Manchester Police is collaborating with French authorities to ensure his safe return. Melanie and David, however, are still wanted for Alex’s alleged kidnapping and remain at large.
ALSO READ: Jake Paul vs Andre August boxing fight purse, payouts and net worth