- British teenager Alex Batty, now 20, went missing from Greater Manchester in 2017 after being allegedly abducted by his mother, Melanie Batty, and taken to Spain and then France.
- Mr Batty has spoken about his "complicated" relationship with his mum in a new BBC documentary. He spent six years living a nomadic lifestyle, often without basic amenities, before choosing to escape in 2023 and being found near Toulouse, France, after walking across the Pyrenees.
- In the documentary Kidnapped By My Mum, Mr Batty expressed annoyance at his mother for his missed education and experiences, but also a desire to "build that bridge again" with her and his grandfather, David Batty, who lived with them in Spain and France.
- He recounted living in a tent while his mother had a campervan and eating only one meal a day, and criticised authorities, including French social services, for not intervening despite a campsite owner reporting concerns about the family.
- Since his return to the UK, Mr Batty has passed his maths and English GCSEs and became a father in January, while Greater Manchester Police discontinued their criminal investigation into his alleged abduction due to no realistic chance of prosecution.
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