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Missing Boy Alex Batty Found “Walking In The Rain With Skateboard Under His Arm” After 6 Years
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Missing Boy Alex Batty Found “Walking In The Rain With Skateboard Under His Arm” After 6 Years

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Alex Batty was just 11 years old when he disappeared from a holiday in Spain, along with his mother and grandfather.

In October 2017, all signs of Alex disappeared until a miraculous day, Wednesday (December 13), when he walked into a police station.

The now 17-year-old from Oldham, Lancashire, UK, was allegedly abducted by his mother Melanie, then 37, and grandfather David, then 58, while on a vacation in Spain in 2017.

Six years after his disappearance, French prosecutors say that Alex has been found alive and well near Toulouse, France, after fleeing some sort of cult-ish compound located in the foothills of the French Pyrenees.

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    Alex Batty, who was allegedly abducted by his mom and grandad at 11 years old, was found on Wednesday

    Image credits: Manchester Evening News

    Investigators believe Alex escaped the spiritual community and spent days trekking across the mountains before being picked up by a trucker who took him to a police station in Revel near Toulouse in the south of the country, the Daily Mail reported.

    In September 2017, Alex reportedly flew into Malaga airport in Spain on a pre-agreed trip with Melanie and David for a week-long stay in the Benahavis area, near Marbella.

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    However, the trio did not come back home as expected on October 8, 2017, provoking a significant police inquiry into the boy’s apparent abduction.

    Image credits: Greater Manchester Police

    In 2018, Alex’s grandmother and official guardian, Susan Caruana, shed light on what she believed to be Melanie and David’s motives, as she accused her daughter and ex-husband had taken her grandson abroad to live an “alternative lifestyle”.

    As it turns out, Susan was right. The at-the-time 62-year-old grandmother further informed authorities that Melanie and David had previously lived in a commune in Morocco with Alex in 2014.

    In 2017, Alex left with his mother Melanie, and grandfather David, on a vacation in Spain, but never returned to his home in Lancashire, UK

    Image credits: Greater Manchester Police

    Susan said in 2018: “They didn’t want [Alex] to go to school, they don’t believe in mainstream school.”

    Upon seeing Alex at a police station in the French commune of Revel, a Gendarmerie spokesperson reportedly said: “We can confirm that the young man who has been found is Alex Batty. He is well and providing information.”

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    The spokesman further stated that the French authorities were in touch with Greater Manchester Police who were “speaking to his family in England”.

    Alex’s grandmother and official guardian, Susan Caruana, accused her daughter and ex-husband of taking her grandson abroad to live an “alternative lifestyle”

    Image credits: ITV

    According to La Depeche newspaper, Alex, his mother, and grandfather had been living between the areas of Ariege and Aude just east of Perpignan in southern France in tents and caravans pitched in the wilderness in recent weeks.

    Last week, Alex finally decided to flee what the French media described as a “cult”. Over several days, he reportedly hiked across mountains in the Pyrenees and crossed through several villages, including Quillan, in the upper Aude Valley in southern France.

    Image credits: Manchester Evening News

    After an exhausting journey, the teenager stumbled upon Fabien Accidini, a medicine deliveryman who picked him up on Tuesday (December 12) evening.

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    He told the French publication: “He was walking around under the rain with a skate under his arm and a flashlight. I offered to drive him. He wanted to go to a big city.”

    “The reason I believe they have done this is because basically my lifestyle, my belief systems, are not what they agree with,” Susan said

    Image credits: Manchester Evening News

    The Toulousian man quickly understood that something wasn’t right, as his passenger could only speak English. The driver went on to warn the French authorities before bringing him to the Revel police station.

    On Wednesday morning, both Alex and Fabien were interrogated, before the brave teenager “calmly and serenely” described his perilous journey, the French publication reported.

    The French authorities were able to confirm that Alex was the Alex Batty who had been missing for the past six years.

    Six years after his disappearance, French prosecutors say that Alex has been found alive and well near Toulouse, France

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    Image credits: ITV

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    Recalling the day the trio was supposed to return home, Alex’s distraught grandmother revealed the rogue trio had sent her a video of themselves saying why they had left the UK to live an “alternative lifestyle”.

    Susan said in 2018: “I got this message on Facebook and it was a YouTube video of the three of them. They all spoke on it and Melanie said the reasons why they had done what they had done.

    “Alex said it was a million times better being with his mum and granddad. Obviously, it hurt a bit but then my other concerns kicked in. 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.

    “They didn’t want him to go to school, they don’t believe in mainstream school.”

    The teenager was found by French student and trucker Fabien Accidini, who offered him a lift after spotting him walking alone at night

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    Image credits: Sky News

    David had previously posted pictures on his Facebook page about the Matrix and how the government was “destroying” their lives.

    He also reportedly wrote that “secret courts” in the UK were “being used to steal children for profit”.

    People thought this was a “wonderful unexpected Christmas present”

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    Andréa Oldereide

    Andréa Oldereide

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

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    I’m a journalist who works as Bored Panda’s News Team's Senior Writer. The news team produces stories focused on pop culture. Whenever I get the opportunity and the time, I investigate and produce my own exclusive stories, where I get to explore a wider range of topics. Some examples include: “Doberman Tobias the viral medical service dog” and “The lawyer who brought rare uterine cancer that affects 9/11 victims to light”. You've got a tip? email me: andrea.o@boredpanda.com

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    Andréa Oldereide

    Andréa Oldereide

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

    I’m a journalist who works as Bored Panda’s News Team's Senior Writer. The news team produces stories focused on pop culture. Whenever I get the opportunity and the time, I investigate and produce my own exclusive stories, where I get to explore a wider range of topics. Some examples include: “Doberman Tobias the viral medical service dog” and “The lawyer who brought rare uterine cancer that affects 9/11 victims to light”. You've got a tip? email me: andrea.o@boredpanda.com

    Karina Babenok

    Karina Babenok

    Author, BoredPanda staff

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    As a visual editor in the News team, I look for the most interesting pictures and comments to make each post interesting and informative through images, so that you aren't reading only blocks of text. I joined Bored Panda not that long ago, but in this short amount of time I have covered a wide range of topics: from true crime to Taylor Swift memes (my search history is very questionable because of that).In my freetime, I enjoy spending time at the gym, gaming, binging Great British Bake Off and adding yet another tattoo artist that I would love to get a tattoo from to my pinterest board.

    Read less »

    Karina Babenok

    Karina Babenok

    Author, BoredPanda staff

    As a visual editor in the News team, I look for the most interesting pictures and comments to make each post interesting and informative through images, so that you aren't reading only blocks of text. I joined Bored Panda not that long ago, but in this short amount of time I have covered a wide range of topics: from true crime to Taylor Swift memes (my search history is very questionable because of that).In my freetime, I enjoy spending time at the gym, gaming, binging Great British Bake Off and adding yet another tattoo artist that I would love to get a tattoo from to my pinterest board.

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    Tabitha
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    He’s the spit and image of his Grandma. Christmas at her house is going to be joyous this year!

    BarkingSpider
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The government is stealing children! Now excuse me while I steal this child... poor kid.

    nm (he/him)
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

    6 years of boy's life passed useless. He has been refused the education everybody has nowadays. I wish him the best, but I have my doubts if he will manage in life. Just like members of Amish or Mormons communities, who want to escape, but are not prepared to live in the outside world.

    Load More Comments
    Tabitha
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    He’s the spit and image of his Grandma. Christmas at her house is going to be joyous this year!

    BarkingSpider
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The government is stealing children! Now excuse me while I steal this child... poor kid.

    nm (he/him)
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

    6 years of boy's life passed useless. He has been refused the education everybody has nowadays. I wish him the best, but I have my doubts if he will manage in life. Just like members of Amish or Mormons communities, who want to escape, but are not prepared to live in the outside world.

    Load More Comments
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