Police Close Investigation Into Alex Batty’s Six-Year Disappearance

Authorities cite lack of evidence and family’s wishes as reasons for ending the case into the boy’s abduction by his mother in 2017.

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.