Teen from German forest says lived there for 5 years

Berlin police are investigating the story of an English-speaking teenager who appeared in the German capital last week saying he had lived the previous five years in the woods with his father,a spokesman said on Friday.

Michael Maass said the approximately 17-year-old boy appeared on September 5 at Berlin’s city hall and was then taken in by a youth emergency centre. The boy told authorities that after his mother had died in a car accident about five years ago,his father had taken him to live in the forest,Maass said. The two lived in a tent,and in earthen dugouts.

“He said that he had lived for the last five years wandering around with his father,” Maass said. The boy,who says he doesn’t remember where the family came from,claims he followed his compass north after his father recently died following a fall in the woods,hitting Berlin after walking two weeks. He said he only remembered the name his father called him by,Ray,according to media reports,and not his last name. He speaks fluent English and only a few words of German,Maass said.