Teen Who Went Missing for Six Years Resurfaces in France
A U.K. teen who resurfaced in France six years after going missing when he was 11 years old, has told a newspaper that he decided to return to Britain because he wanted a better future. Alex Batty, now 17, also said that he lied about the details of his escape to protect his mother and grandfather from police.
Batty had disappeared while in Spain with his mother and grandfather in October 2017 but turned up in a mountainous area of southern France last week.
Batty told the Sun tabloid in an interview published on Friday that he had chosen to leave the pair after becoming fed up of drifting around Europe with them.
"I realized it wasn't a great way to live for my future," said the teenager, who is back under the legal guardianship of his maternal grandmother in Oldham, northern England.
"Moving around. No friends, no social life. Working, working, work and not studying. That's the life I imagined I would be leading if I were to stay with my mum."
Batty was found walking near Toulouse by a delivery driver earlier this month. He was in good health.
A teenager has revealed to French investigators that he has been living in a "spiritual community" and never staying in one place for more than a few months.
Speaking to the Sun, the teenager, identified as Batty, expressed his feelings towards his mother, Melanie Batty, saying, "She's a great person and I love her but she's just not a great mum." He described her as "anti-government, anti-vax" and noted that her catchphrase was "becoming a slave to the system".
When asked about why he left home, Batty explained, "I had an argument with my mum and I just thought I'm gonna leave because I can't live with her."
Batty's Journey
Batty clarified that he had only been walking for two days when he was found, contrary to the four days he had initially told French police. He was discovered by a delivery driver, Fabien Accidini, who spotted him on a road in the foothills of the French Pyrenees near Toulouse. Accidini stated that Batty had claimed to have been walking in the Pyrenees for four days and four nights, sleeping during the day and walking at night.
According to a report, a young man named Batty recently admitted that he had lied to investigators. His motive for lying was to protect his mother and grandfather, as he believed they were planning to flee to Finland. However, Batty has now realized that they will likely be caught regardless of his actions.
In an interview with The Sun, Batty stated, "I've been lying to try and protect my mum and grandad but I realize that they're probably gonna get caught anyway." He also clarified that he was not lost but rather knew exactly where he was going.
Batty also mentioned that he has plans to focus on studying and catching up, as he aspires to work in the technology sector in the future.
Batty added that he was going to be "busy studying and catching up," and that he hopes to eventually work in the technology sector.
