Overview

• Alex Batty, now 18, disappeared at age 11 in 2017 after his mother took him to Spain in defiance of a custody order granting guardianship to his grandmother.
• He was found in December 2023 near Toulouse, France, after fleeing a nomadic lifestyle with his mother and grandfather in the Pyrenees.
• Alex stated he left to seek a more stable future, including pursuing education, and later admitted to misleading authorities to protect his mother and grandfather.
• Greater Manchester Police discontinued the investigation, citing insufficient evidence and the lack of support for prosecution from Alex and his family.
• Alex has since returned to the UK, reintegrated with his grandmother’s care, and is now living safely in Greater Manchester.