✕CloseMissing British boy Alex Batty found in France six years after he was ‘abducted’
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A missing British teenager who has been discovered in France has revealed details about his “nomadic life” with his mother.
Alex Batty, who is now 17, went missing six years ago in 2017 after going on a family holiday to Spain.
In the early hours of Wednesday morning, he was spotted walking alone on an isolated country road in Toulouse by a student delivery driver. The teenager said he was “kidnapped” by his mother when he was 11-years-old.
In a press conference today, Toulouse Assistant Public Prosecutor Antoine Leroy told reporters Alex “talked a lot” about how his mother and maternal grandfather were “obsessed” with solar energy and solar panels which they “travelled with”.
Detectives believe he was abducted by his mother Melanie Batty and grandfather to live an “alternative” lifestyle abroad. The teenager said he had been hiking in nearby mountains for more than four days in an attempt to return to England to his grandmother.
The teenager should be able to return to his family in the United Kingdom on Saturday or at the latest on Sunday, said French authorities.
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Teen’s grandfather thought to have died six months ago
Alex Batty‘s grandfather is thought to have died six months ago, French prosecutors have said.
Addressing the whereabouts of Alex‘s mother and grandfather, Assistant Public Prosecutor Antoine Leroy said: “It is possible that the mother at this time has in fact gone to Finland as she planned.
“The grandfather, who has always been with his daughter and grandson, is said to have died approximately six months ago.”
Mr Leroy said Alex took part in a “meditation ceremony” when his grandfather died.
Alex with his mother and grandfather
(Supplied)
Maryam Zakir-Hussain15 December 2023 16:301702656024
French authorities give more details on Alex Batty’s life while away
Continuing to describe how Alex Batty had been living over the past six years, Assistant Public Prosecutor Antoine Leroy said: “They would work on the ego, there was meditation work – there was no connection with the real world.
“They believed in reincarnation.”
Speaking about Alex‘s condition when he was checked over by officials, Mr Leroy said: “This young man was described by the police who have seen him and by the doctors who examined him as ‘tired’ but overall in good health.
“He’s said to be intelligent even though he’s never been to school in this entire period.”
Maryam Zakir-Hussain15 December 2023 16:001702654545
Alex Batty ate from ‘whatever he found in the fields’ as he hiked through mountains in bid to return to UK
Toulouse Assistant Public Prosecutor Antoine Leroy told reporters Alex Batty got food from “whatever he found in the fields” as he walked for four days in the Pyrenees.
“He walked and he got food from whatever he found in the fields and the gardens and he was then found at about 3am on Wednesday by a young man,” Mr Leroy said.
Addressing what the teenager said to the student who found him, Mr Leroy added: “He explained that he was being searched for and that he wanted protection.”
Maryam Zakir-Hussain15 December 2023 15:351702654127
The assistant public prosecutor said Alex Batty had €100 on him when they found him.
Antoine Leroy added that he is not sure if the teenager informed his mother he was leaving.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain15 December 2023 15:281702653932
Alex Batty left his mother after she said she was leaving for Finland
French prosecutors have said Alex Batty knew the life he was having with his mother “had to stop” after she announced intentions to move to Finland.
Toulouse Assistant Public Prosecutor Antoine Leroy told reporters: “When his mother indicated that she was going to leave with him to Finland, this young man understood that this had to stop.
“So he then decided to leave the place where he was with his mother and he went walking for four days and four nights.
“He was exclusively walking at night and sleeping in the day.”
Maryam Zakir-Hussain15 December 2023 15:251702653876
Alex Batty’s mother and grandfather were living in a community with different families of different nationalities, the assistant public prosecutor confirmed.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain15 December 2023 15:241702653815
Antoine Leroy, the assistant public prosecutor in Toulouse said it is “difficult” to understand the education level of Alex Batty since he does not speak French.
However, he said Alex appears to be a “normal, young teen”.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain15 December 2023 15:231702653751
Alex Batty “talked a lot” about how his mother and grandfather were “obsessed” with solar energy and solar panels which they “travelled with”.
Mr Leroy described their lifestyle as a “nomadic life”.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain15 December 2023 15:221702653624
Mr Leroy confirmed that Alex Batty will be returning to the UK, but his grandmother will not go to France to collect him because she is “too frail”.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain15 December 2023 15:201702653577
Alex Batty ‘does not describe any kind of physical violence’ in past six years
Speaking to a press conference today, Antoine Leroy, the assistant public prosecutor in Toulouse, said: “[Alex Batty] was living with his mother and his maternal grandfather.
“He doesn’t describe any kind of physical violence. We can’t use the term ‘sect’ as such but he talked about some kind of spiritual community.”
He added: “It was always the same way of living. They got food based on allotments. There was work on the ego, meditation work.”
Maryam Zakir-Hussain15 December 2023 15:19NewerOlder✕
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