A man abducted by his mother at age 11 has reached out to her for the first time since returning to the UK after six years abroad.
Alex Batty vanished from Oldham in 2017 when his mother, Melanie Batty—not his legal guardian—took him on a planned trip to Spain with his grandfather, David Batty. They lived an isolated life, often lacking basic amenities, before Alex escaped in 2023. He walked across the Pyrenees and was discovered near Toulouse, France.
Retracing the Journey
Now 20, Alex retraced his path through Spain and France for the BBC documentary Kidnapped By My Mum. He spoke with locals from small towns and villages he encountered while avoiding authorities.
Alex explained his complex feelings: “My relationship with my mum is such a complicated thing. I’m annoyed at what she did… the experiences I missed out on, my lack of education.”
Interactions during the journey helped him understand her motivations. “Speaking to all these people about my mum opened up my eyes to why she did what she did,” he said. “This entire trip has reconnected me to my mum and grandad, and made me want to build that bridge again.”
He hopes to one day visit them for an enjoyable time, free from past conflicts.
Harsh Life on the Run
In 2022, while staying at campsites in France, Alex survived on one meal a day. His mother insisted on “spiritual work” and “inner work.” By age 15, he began questioning her views, leading to frequent arguments.
“If they differed in any way, it would start a row. It was constant battles, constant arguments, constant yelling,” Alex recalled. She eventually evicted him from her campervan, leaving him in a tent nearby.
He received no formal schooling and had only one friend during those years.
Missed Opportunities for Intervention
A campsite owner contacted French social services about the family but was told nothing could be done, as Alex was foreign and his identity was unknown. “You think that would make them want to come more,” Alex said. “I’m so mad, so mad, that no one did anything.”
Life After Return
Greater Manchester Police discontinued the abduction investigation last year, citing no realistic prospect of prosecution.
Since returning, Alex passed his maths and English GCSEs and became a father to a baby girl in January.
His mother declined to respond to the allegations, and his grandfather did not reply to outreach efforts. French social services, France Enfance Protegee, cited confidentiality in refusing comment on the case.
Kidnapped By My Mum airs on BBC Three at 9pm and BBC One at 10.40pm on Wednesday, and streams on BBC iPlayer.
