They lived off-grid in Italy’s woods. Now these kids have been taken into care

3 months ago 19

November 24, 2025 — 11.59am

Rome: The Italian government has questioned a court decision to remove three children from the off-grid woodland home where they lived with their Australian mother and British father, after the family came under scrutiny when they were poisoned by mushrooms.

A juvenile court in the central city of L’Aquila ruled last week that Catherine Birmingham and Nathan Trevallion’s alternative lifestyle put their children’s wellbeing at risk and ordered that their eight-year-old daughter and six-year-old twins be placed in protective care.

Birmingham, reportedly a former equestrian trainer from Melbourne, was allowed to accompany the children to their new accommodation on Thursday, after their lawyer convinced social workers that her presence was needed to limit the trauma of separation.

Nathan Trevallion and Catherine Birmingham with their children.

“It was the worst night of my life,” Trevallion told local newspaper Il Centro on Friday. “Taking children away from a parent is the greatest pain there is ... It’s an injustice.”

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni reportedly called the removal of the children “alarming”, while Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini condemned the court decision.

“It[’s] shameful that the state interferes in private education and personal life choices, and steals children from a family who found Italy to be a welcoming country,” Salvini told Radio24, adding that he would seek to intervene on behalf of the family.

Italy’s Justice Minister, Carlo Nordio, told London’s Telegraph that removing children from their parents was “an extremely painful decision” that required careful scrutiny and suggested independent inspectors might be sent to assess the situation.

“For decades, we have been bombarded by prophets who say we should quit consumerism and return to nature. These people have done that, and we need to assess whether it is compromising the children’s education. I believe the parents are fully aware of their responsibilities,” he was quoted as saying.

The couple bought a farmhouse in the mountainous Abruzzo region in 2021 and were raising their children without mains electricity, water or gas, relying instead on solar power, well water and home-grown food. The children are homeschooled and have little or no opportunity to mix with other youngsters.

“The members of the Trevallion family have no social interactions, no steady income, there are no sanitary facilities in the dwelling, and the children do not attend school,” the juvenile court said in its written ruling.

Trevallion’s situation came to the attention of the police last year, when the whole family was hospitalised after they ate poisonous mushrooms. “Since then, it has been a nightmare,” said Trevallion, a chef by training.

Petition to reverse the decision

The case has sparked intense debate in Italy over alternative lifestyles, and more than 13,000 people have signed an online petition backing the family.

The conservative Pro Vita & Famiglia group also accused the court of overstepping the mark.

“The state and social services must intervene only in the presence of proven abuse, mistreatment or neglect, not to punish lifestyles that do not fall within the dominant standard,” group spokesperson Jacopo Coghe said.

But Rocco Maruotti, secretary general of the national association of magistrates, told the Telegraph that the court had listed its reasons for removing the children in exacting detail.

“You need to read it first, before you blindly criticise it,” he said.

The family’s lawyer, Giovanni Angelucci, is reportedly preparing an appeal against the removal order.

Reuters

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