How old was Alex Batty when he went missing?

In October 2017, the Batty family’s holiday in Spain took a distressing turn when 11-year-old Alex, hailing from Oldham in Greater Manchester, did not return as planned. Now, at the age of 17, Alex has been found after an extraordinary journey that led him to walk alone on an isolated country road near Toulouse for days.

The family vacation to Spain included Alex, his mother Melanie Batty, and his grandfather David Batty. The idyllic week-long holiday near Marbella took an unexpected turn when the trio failed to return home, prompting a police inquiry to locate them.

Alex’s reappearance, disclosed on Thursday, December 14, 2023, unfolded in a surprising manner. A lorry driver, traveling near Toulouse, picked up the now-17-year-old Alex after he had been walking alone on the desolate road for an extended period.

During the journey, Alex shared a shocking revelation with the driver – he claimed that his mother had “kidnapped” him back in 2017. The news of Alex’s discovery brought a mix of relief and astonishment to his family.

Speaking to The Times, Susan Caruana, Alex’s grandmother and official guardian, expressed her hope for his return to England. “I spoke to him this afternoon, and it is definitely him. I was speaking to a boy when he was with us, and now I’m speaking to a man,” she said, highlighting the transformative period that Alex had undergone during his time away.

As of the latest reports, Alex is under the care of social services, awaiting the arrival of British police and consular staff to facilitate his return to England. The circumstances surrounding his disappearance and the events that unfolded during his time in Spain, including the claim of kidnapping, add layers of complexity to this remarkable story.