23 December 2023 , 18:32
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The grandmother of Alex Batty says her "chaotic" daughter tricked her into letting the teen go on holiday and said she never knew if they were "alive or dead".
Susan Caruana, 68, who was named as Alex's legal guardian, lived in fear for her grandson when he went missing in 2017 after he didn't return home from holiday with his mum, Melanie, and his grandad David in Spain.
The young boy, who was only 11 at the time, endured six years on the run with his "off the rails" mother. French prosecutors revealed that the pair took Alex to live in a "spiritual community" and lived in Morocco before moving to the Pyrenees in France.
He was found by delivery driver Fabien Accidini on a rural road close to Quillan, France, earlier this month and has since been reunited with Susan in Oldham, Greater Manchester.
Now, Susan has revealed her heartbreak after she spent years in limbo not knowing where Alex was. She said every time there was a "disaster" she "feared he could be a victim".
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She said she would never be able to forgive her daughter and her ex-partner and said Melanie used to be a "daddy's girl". Susan further explained how Melanie referred to her son as her "property" and demanded she stumped up a £500,000 payment.
When Melanie plead with her to let the boy go on holiday, Susan shares how she had to "give them a chance." She told The Sun : "I was nervous about saying 'Yes' but I felt I had no choice but to give them a chance and trust them. How wrong could I have been?"
Melanie and David fled to France and lived a life of 'spirituality' (Manchester Evening News)She added: "I don't want to be the one to help them go to prison but if they do, then it's not my fault. Alex has come back home of his own free will." Susan further said her relationship with her daughter became strained after she and David broke up when Melanie was 13 years old. She admitted that Melanie "went off the rails not long after Alex was born."
The grandmother said she first found out about Alex living in France when Greater Manchester Police phoned her. She burst into tears when she realised he was alive and well. Alex said he loves his mother but she wasn't a good parent. “She’s a great person and I love her but she’s just not a great mum," he said.
Melanie is believed to be in Finland. Greater Manchester Police are looking at a kidnap probe.