Who is Melanie Batty? ‘Mum kidnapped me when I was 12’ Alex Batty told rescuers, being found 6 years after going missing

Alex Batty, who went missing while on a vacation in Spain in October 2017, was found alive 6 years later, in the Pyrenees mountains in France. He was found by Fabien Accidini, a student from Toulouse, on Wednesday, December 13, 2023.

According to The Sun, the first words he uttered when picked up by Accidini on the side of the road in Revel, France were, "My mother kidnapped me when I was 12 years old."

Hailing from Oldham, Greater Manchester, Alex Batty, was traveling in Spain in October 2017 when he vanished. According to the Independent, he was with his mother Melanie, aged 38, and grandfather David, aged 59, who did not have parental guardianship over him.

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Alex Batty was living in a "spiritual" commune after being allegedly kidnapped by his mother

Alex Batty, now 17 years old, recounted the past six years of his life to Fabien Accidini, a student from Toulouse who found the boy while he was delivering medicines by lorry in Revel, France.

Speaking to La Depeche, a French newspaper, Accidini said that he saw Alex walking on the foothills of the Pyrenees mountains in the early hours of Wednesday morning and offered to give him a lift.

In a video interview he gave to Sky News, Accidini said Alex seemed shy at first but then told his situation over a conversation they had for the next three hours.

"He told me that he was kidnapped by his mother and grandfather. He went to Spain where he lived for three years with his mother and after he was in France for two years. He just wanted to live a normal life, to see his grandmother again and to have a normal future."

Melanie Batty, the mother of Alex Batty, went on a pre-agreed vacation to Spain with her father David and Alex in October 2017. The three of them were supposed to return on October 8, 2017, but never showed up. Melanie's mother, Susan Caruana, claims that Melanie Batty opposed Alex's going to school.

"They [Melanie and David] didn't want [Alex] to go to school, they don't believe in mainstream school."

Caruana further stated that she was concerned that her daughter Melanie Batty, and ex-husband David, might have adopted an "alternative lifestyle" somewhere abroad with Alex Batty, as they had previously lived in a commune in Morocco with Alex.

After failing to return from their vacation, Caruana got a video on Facebook where Melanie explained her reasonings for not returning home with Alex. She also noted:

"The reason I believe they have done this is because, basically, my lifestyle, my belief systems, are not what they agree with - just simply living day to day, how normal people do."

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"I love you, I want to come home": Alex Batty leaves an emotional message to his grandma after his discovery

Alex Batty got in touch with his grandmother and legal guardian Susan Caruana using Accinini's Facebook and left her this heartwarming message:

"Hello Grandma, it's me Alex. I'm in France Toulouse. I really hope that you receive this message. I love you, I want to come home."

Caruana said she was "thrilled" that her grandson had been found. In a statement to The Sun, she said:

“I am so happy. I have spoken to him and he is well. I don't know where his mum is. It is great news. I am just waiting for him to come home - I am thrilled.”

Alex Batty had been walking in the Pyrenees mountains for four days before he was picked up by Accidini. He was reportedly serene and calm as he told the French police his story. The Great Manchester Police is working with the French authorities to bring him home safely.

Alex's mother Melanie and grandfather David are still wanted for his alleged kidnapping and have not yet been found.