British authorities disclosed where a child who vanished during a family vacation in Malaga in 2017 was located after years of being missing. The case resurfaced in the wake of reports that the boy had left a so‑called spiritual community in France that police believe may have influenced his movements. The rapid developments came as investigators connected the dots between the travel, the family’s actions, and the child’s disappearance years earlier in southern Spain, with ongoing inquiries seeking to determine how the boy ended up in another country and what circumstances surrounded his departure.
Alex Batty, then around seven years old, disappeared during a holiday trip with his mother and grandfather. Local relatives later told the BBC that there were suspicions the child had been moved or transferred to another country. The family’s statements indicated Morocco might have been involved in the plan, with the mother reportedly seeking to join a religious group and to retrieve the child from school in a different country. The new information points to a possible chain of events spanning multiple jurisdictions, including Spain, France, and North Africa, which authorities are now tracing as part of a broader review of the child’s welfare and safety.
According to police sources cited by major UK broadcasters, Batty was located this week in Revel, France, and was taken to a police station by a driver who expressed concern over the boy’s circumstances. In his own account, the boy stated that he had been in France for at least two years, though the full timeline of his movements during the period of disappearance has yet to be disclosed. Investigators are working to corroborate his statements with school records, travel documents, and social services notes to construct a complete, transparent timeline that would clarify where he lived, who cared for him, and how the family and community factors influenced his choices during that time.
Initial health checks did not reveal signs of mistreatment, but authorities are continuing to assess the boy’s well‑being and safety as part of a careful examination of all factors involved in the disappearance. The case underscores the importance of cross‑border cooperation among law enforcement agencies, social services, and child protection bodies to safeguard minors who may disappear from family settings, particularly when complex family dynamics and religious or communal affiliations are involved. Local and national investigators have emphasized the need for clarity and accountability to ensure the child’s current and future welfare, while also addressing any legal implications that may arise from the child’s movements across jurisdictions. The evolving situation remains under careful review as officials work to verify every element of the case and to determine the most appropriate next steps for the child’s safety and legal protection, as well as for the family involved in the ongoing inquiry.