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According to his French hosts, Alex Batty desired to come back to the UK in order to resume his studies and live a regular life.
The adolescent came back to his residence on Saturday, having been located in France. This occurred six years after he went missing while vacationing with his mother, Melanie Batty, and grandfather, David Batty, in Spain. Melanie is not his legal guardian.
On Saturday, after being found by a French driver while walking near the French Pyrenees, he returned to the UK and reunited with his grandmother, Susan Caruana.
The 17-year-old adolescent, who was interviewed by French prosecutors, had a wandering lifestyle with his mother and grandfather, frequently relocating between Spain, Morocco, and France.
The owners of a farmhouse in France, where the teenager frequently visited, have issued a statement regarding his stay.
Frederic Hambye and Ingrid Beauve stated that he expressed a strong desire to return to school and resume his regular routine. However, this required having his identification, which he claimed to have lost.
During his unaccounted for time, it is said that Alex intermittently resided with the couple at their farmhouse in a small village nestled at the base of the Pyrenees.
The couple stated that upon discovering he did not possess an ID, they offered to transport him to the British consulate.
“He informed us that he would independently find a way to return to the United Kingdom and obtain new identification documents in order to resume his education. He stated that he departed to reunite with his mother for this purpose.”
Seventeen-year-old Alex Batty, who went missing six years ago, was located in France.
According to them, they were familiar with Alex by his nickname Zach. He came to the location accompanied by his grandfather and mother.
According to the hosts, Alex had a private room, unrestricted internet access, and was free to come and go as he pleased during his visits. They also mentioned that he enjoyed cooking, engaging in activities at the gite, cycling, and going to the beach.
According to them, his grandfather was employed as a skilled laborer in return for lodging and meals for himself and Alex.
The owners of the farmhouse stated that Alex’s mother did not reside on the premises and instead stayed in various locations between Aude and Ariege, approximately 30 miles north and 70 miles west of the farmhouse.
The delivery driver discovered Alex Batty on the D16 highway in Chalabre.
The statement mentioned that as time passed, they began to view him as a member of their family and believed he valued the stability and safety they offered to him.
“We encouraged him to study and learn French. Specifically, we assisted him in finding a school that would accept him without prior education. He demonstrated an aptitude for working with computers.”
The location of Alex’s mother is currently unknown. However, according to French prosecutors, he informed them that she had planned to bring him to Finland. This ultimately led to his choice to go back to the United Kingdom.
The Greater Manchester Police announced on Saturday evening that they have not yet determined the complete details surrounding Alex’s disappearance and whether or not they will launch a criminal investigation.
Source: independent.co.uk
