The self-proclaimed idyllic life of a family of five living in the Italian woods with horses, donkeys and chickens came to a standstill when a court ordered the children to be removed and placed in foster care.
Police cars were called to transport the children from their home in Abruzzo to a church-run care home. The mother also lives on the property, but the parents have limited access to the children, the family’s attorney said.
The fate of the children, known in Italian as “Bimbi nel Bosco” or “Children of the Forest”, fascinated the country. Tens of thousands of people have signed an online petition calling for family reunification.
An order issued by a court in L’Aquila names parents Nathan Trevallion, 51, a British former professional chef, and Katherine Birmingham, 45, an Australian life coach and former equestrian trainer, as the parents of twin children aged eight and six.
“Families are living in housing poverty because the building has not been declared habitable,” the order states. “Members of the Trevallion family have no social interaction, no fixed income, there are no toilet facilities in the house, and the children do not attend school. This order is based on the risk of violation of the right to social life, in view of the serious and harmful infringement on the physical and mental integrity of the children, and the parents should be suspended from their parental responsibilities.”
The family’s lawyer, Giovanni Angelucci, said the family heated their home with a fireplace and used solar panels to light and charge their devices. To avoid microplastics and costs, the family has removed running water and instead draws fresh water from a well on the property. There are no indoor toilets, but outdoor composting toilets are used.
The family’s living situation became clear in September 2024 after all five people were hospitalized with poisoning after eating wild mushrooms in the forest. The family was subsequently visited by social services authorities and police, but the lawyer said they failed to follow recommendations to have the children receive regular medical care and attend school.
Trevallion told local media at the time that he was shocked by the decision. “They are happy, smell good, are well-mannered and well-fed. Why break this bond?” he said on Friday, according to La Repubblica newspaper. CNN reached out to the family through Birmingham’s website and advised them not to frequently check electronic communications.
Angelsi said the family plans to appeal the decision next week.
Birmingham’s website, which runs a life coaching and energy reading business, is filled with images of animals and children, and the court order says the photos violate the children’s privacy and were only posted to show normal living conditions after a Social Services investigation began.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her deputy Matteo Salvini both criticized the court’s decision. A spokeswoman for Ms Meloni said the abduction of her children was “alarming” and said she had called Italy’s justice minister, Carlo Nordio, about the matter.
Salvini, who is scheduled to visit his parents’ home next week, told reporters at the Venice Biennale on Friday: “It is shameful that the country is interested in the private education and private life choices of the two parents whose children were taken from them, even though I feel that Italy is a kind country.”
The family bought the house in 2021, with Birmingham writing on her website: “We recently found the forever home of our dreams. …The energy of this place is so special that we invite people to stay to heal and awaken, to connect with the wild inside and out, and to eat home-grown, home-grown, organic and vegan food.”
Giuseppe Masgiulli, the mayor of nearby Palmoli, also condemned the abduction of the children. “I’m a father myself, so I was very shocked by this situation,” he told CNN, adding that he believed the situation could be resolved if the family agreed to meet certain conditions, such as reinstalling the water supply and meeting weekly with local schools to assess the children’s academic progress.
