Three young children who authorities say have been living off the grid with their parents in a remote area of Italy have been taken into protective custody after a court order.
A court in L’Aquila named the parents — Nathan Trevallion, 51, and Catherine Birmingham, 45 — in an order removing their three children from their care: an 8-year-old girl and 6-year-old twin boys, according to CNN.
The family drew national attention in September 2024, when all five were hospitalized after eating poisonous wild mushrooms collected in the forest, CNN and Reuters reported. After that incident, officials instructed the parents to ensure the children received regular medical checkups and attended school, but the family’s lawyer said they did not comply.
Police carried out the removal on Thursday, Nov. 20, at the family’s home in Palmoli, after prosecutors argued the children were at risk of “serious harm” in their living situation, The Telegraph reported.
The lawyer later negotiated an arrangement allowing Birmingham to accompany her children as they were taken to a shelter in Vasto, though the children are being housed separately. Birmingham told The Telegraph she is not currently allowed to see them. Trevallion said he is barred from the shelter entirely.
“We’ve been imprisoned for a crime we never did. I have had my parental rights stripped from me,” Birmingham said on Friday, Nov. 21, insisting there was no neglect or danger. Trevallion echoed the claim, calling the decision “a great injustice.”
Reuters reported that Trevallion and Birmingham bought their farmhouse in Italy’s Abruzzo region in 2021. The children were reportedly homeschooled there, and the home is said to operate without water, electricity, or gas, relying instead on solar power.
In its order, the court stated that the family was living in a building deemed unfit for habitation and alleged the children lacked social interaction, a stable income environment, and proper sanitation. The order also noted that the children were not attending school. It argued that the circumstances posed a serious risk to the children’s physical and mental well-being and called for the parents’ suspension from parental responsibility.
Giovanni Angelucci, the family’s lawyer, said Trevallion — a British former professional chef — and Birmingham — an Australian life coach — will appeal the ruling.
The case has sparked political debate. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini have criticized the decision to remove the children. A spokesperson for Meloni described the move as “alarming” and said she has consulted Justice Minister Carlo Nordio, CNN reported. Salvini told Radio24 that he plans to visit the family’s home next week and is considering intervening, Reuters reported.
Palmoli Mayor Giuseppe Masciulli also voiced concern, telling CNN he was “deeply shocked” by the situation.
Supporters have organized an online petition on Change.org, which had about 140,000 signatures as of Monday, Nov. 24. The petition argues that the parents are not destitute or unsafe, but have simply chosen an unconventional way of life.
