By Tony O’ Reilly-
Greater Manchester Police have initiated a criminal investigation into the alleged abduction of Alex Batty, who resurfaced in the UK last week after a six-year absence abroad.
The teenager went missing at the age of 11 in 2017 during a pre-arranged trip to Spain with his mother and grandfather.
Alex, now 17, returned to the UK on Saturday after being discovered near Toulouse, France, by Fabien Accidini, a chiropody student. His journey involved walking across the Pyrenees.
Upon his return, officers in the UK interviewed Alex, who is currently under the legal guardianship of his grandmother, Susan Caruana, in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The investigation was launched based on the circumstances surrounding his disappearance and return.
In an exclusive interview with The Sun, Alex expressed his dissatisfaction with his nomadic lifestyle, describing his mother as “a great person but not a great mum.” He cited her as “anti-government, anti-vax,” with a catchphrase warning against “becoming a slave to the system.”
French authorities had taken care of Alex before his step-grandfather met him at Toulouse airport, from where he boarded a flight to the UK.
During his time missing, it is believed that Alex had been traveling with his mother and grandfather across Spain, Morocco, and France. French prosecutors revealed that Melanie Batty, Alex’s mother who lacks legal parental guardianship, might be in Finland.
According to prosecutor Antoine Leroy, Alex decided to end his way of life with his mother after she expressed intentions to move to Finland. This decision led him to embark on a challenging journey, walking “four days and four nights” across the Pyrenees.