British boy resurfaces in the UK after vanishing for six years
British boy mysteriously reappears in the UK after vanishing for six years in France, thanks to the discovery by a vigilant French motorist, as confirmed by local authorities
The British teenager who had been missing for six years has been safely returned to the UK after being found in France, according to local police. Alex Batty, who went missing during a holiday in Spain with his mother and grandfather in 2017, was located near Toulouse in the Haute-Garonne department. He is now 17 years old.
Assistant Chief Constable Matt Boyle of Greater Manchester Police announced on Saturday that Alex has safely returned to the UK after six years. According to the UK's national news agency, Press Association, Boyle stated that the teenager was reunited with a family member and UK police officers at Toulouse airport before departing for his long-awaited flight home.
Batty is set to be reunited with his legal guardian, grandmother Susan Caruana, who resides in Oldham, Greater Manchester, according to PA.
Caruana expressed her excitement to see her grandson in a statement released through the police, stating that she "can't wait" for their reunion.
"I am incredibly relieved and happy that Alex has been found safe and well," she stated. She also mentioned that her family is asking for privacy as they reintegrate him back into their lives.
It is known that Alex's grandfather passed away roughly six months ago. Additionally, the boy's mother, who does not have legal parental guardianship, is believed to be in Finland, according to Toulouse's deputy prosecutor Antoine Leroy as reported by Reuters news agency.
Found by a French motorist
This week, a French motorist, Fabien Accidini, rescued a teenager from the side of the road. Accidini claimed that the boy had been residing in a "spiritual community" in the country for the past two years.
Accidini, a student studying chiropractic, was in the midst of delivering medications to pharmacies at night when he encountered Batty for the first time. Initially using a fake name, Batty engaged in a three-hour conversation with Accidini, speaking in both English and French.
"He informed me that his mother had taken him by force five years prior in Morocco. Following that, he resided in Spain, and for the past two years, he has been living in France as part of a spiritual community," Accidini shared with CNN affiliate BFMTV.
Accidini reported that the boy referred to his mother as "slightly eccentric." In an interview with the BBC, a Quillan local mentioned that the town is inhabited by a group of global nomads who have rejected the idea of a conventional lifestyle.
"There is a misconception here that many people are wrongdoers and high on drugs, but the reality is that drug use is widespread. These individuals simply desire a different way of life," she explained to the media.
Reporting contributions were made by CNN's Maya Szaniecki, Joseph Ataman, Caitlin Danaher, Alex Hardie, and Niamh Kennedy.
