A British man who vanished for six years as a child has spoken publicly about the ordeal after eventually being found living in rural France.
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Alex Batty, now 20, disappeared in 2017 when he was just 11 years old.
He was eventually located in rural France in December 2023, at the age of 17. This came after years spent moving between communities with his mother.
Batty has now opened up about the experience. He says he feels ready to reconnect with his mother, Melanie Batty, who took him abroad as a child.
Missing Teen Vanished During Family Holiday
On September 30, 2017, Batty left the UK for what was supposed to be a family holiday in Spain with his mother and grandfather, David.
The family later moved to France, where they remained off the radar for years.
Greater Manchester Police later revealed that Melanie did not hold legal custody of her son at the time.
Authorities launched an investigation later that year after Batty failed to return home.
The case remained unresolved until December 13, 2023, when a member of the public reportedly found Batty and brought him to a police station.
According to the BBC, Batty's mother had become "heavily influenced by conspiracy theories."
The report stated that Melanie encouraged her son to throw away his passport and that they spent periods living off-grid while Batty received no formal schooling.
