Alex Batty: A British boy missing for six years has been found in France

CNN
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A British boy, whose whereabouts were unknown for six years, was found Wednesday morning in a region of southwestern France, a spokesman for the regional authorities told CNN on Thursday.

Alex Paty has not been seen since he was 11, after he was taken on holiday in Spain in 2017 with his mother “who did not have legal parental custody” and grandfather, according to a February 2019 police appeal.

Paty was found in Haute-Jaronne, near the city of Toulouse, according to the spokesman.

CNN affiliate BFMTV reported that the family has confirmed the teen’s identity and that he is scheduled to return to England soon, according to the Toulouse prosecutor’s office.

His grandmother, Susan Caruana, his legal guardian, told the British newspaper The Sun that she had spoken to Alex.

“I am very happy. I spoke to him and he is fine,” Caruana said, adding: “He is currently with the authorities in France.” It is a huge shock.

Greater Manchester Police in the United Kingdom said in a statement on Thursday that they had been contacted about “a possible sighting in France of Alex Paty, who disappeared in 2017.”

The police added that officers in the English city of Oldham are in contact with the French authorities to confirm “the veracity of the report.”

A Greater Manchester Police spokesman said: “This is a complex and long-term investigation, and we need to investigate further as well as put in place appropriate safeguarding measures.”