19 December 2023 , 10:49
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French police have commented on the mystery surrounding the whereabouts of the mother and grandad of British teen Alex Batty, found in France after going missing six years ago.
When French officers interviewed 17-year-old Alex he said his mum Melanie, 43, had gone to Finland and that he hadn’t wanted to go, which is why he had made himself known to authorities. However French cops now say that “seems unlikely”. His grandad, who Alex claims is dead, was reportedly seen within the last ten days.
French authorities suspect that his mum may still be in the same area of France from which Alex emerged on Wednesday (December 13). Alex reappeared near Toulouse after being picked up by a delivery driver last week at 3AM. The teen has now been reunited with his gran in the UK, but uncertainty remains over the whereabouts of his mother and grandfather.
“Alex said his mother wanted to go to Finland to see the Northern Lights,” a source told reporters. “We must ask how she was able to book a plane ticket while on an Interpol list. It seems unlikely.”
“There is every possibility that Alex’s grandfather, David Batty, is still alive. There does not seem to be a death certificate, or any other kind of official confirmation of his death,” they told the Sun. French prosecutors questioning Alex were told by the teen that his grandfather had died around six months ago with a meditation ceremony being held in his memory.
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Investigators are said to be keeping an open mind as they work to piece together Alex's version of events. The hunt for Melanie and David, 64, is now being headed-up by Greater Manchester Police and Interpol. The pair, neither of whom are Alex’s legal guardian, have been wanted list since disappearing with him while on holiday in Spain in 2017.
Market square in the town of Esperaza, southern France (The Daily Mirror)Last week it was revealed Alex had been staying with friends Fred Hambye and Ingrid Beauve at their remote holiday gite (cottage) in the foothills of the Pyrenees. Alex lived in the gite, where his granadad worked as a handyman, after arriving in France with his mum in 2021, while she went to live in a spiritual community. They revealed the teen left on Sunday of last week to visit his mum outside the town of Chalabre. Melanie is said to have been living at the La Forte campsite near the town.
The owner of the campsite said Melanie had arrived in May calling herself Rose, and left in September adding nobody had seen her for at least two months. Expat Susie Harrison, 61, who knew her, said Rose gave massages and wanted to set up the commune in the south of France. Ms Harrison also told the paper she hitchhiked to a hippy market in Esperaza with David just a fortnight ago — despite claims he was dead. David had also reportedly been seen mowing the lawn at the gite within the last ten days by neighbours.
Alex is now back in Oldham, Greater Manchester with his grandmother and legal guardian Susan Caruana, 68, who is Melanie’s mum and David’s ex. “I’m just happy to be home for Christmas,” he told reporters.