The British father of three children placed in foster care after authorities discovered the family living off the grid in woods in Abruzzo has called for an end to protests linked to the case.
Nathan Trevallion made the appeal on Tuesday as he left the foster home in Vasto where the children are currently staying.
“I want the children to come home, but until that happens, I prefer them to stay here,” the British father said. “I thank everyone for their solidarity, but I respectfully ask that no demonstrations or protests be organised in front of the foster home or private residences.”
The case escalated last week when the Juvenile Court of L’Aquila ordered that the children’s Australian mother, Catherine Birmingham, be removed from the property in Vasto where she had previously been allowed to spend part of the day with them.
The decision triggered anger among supporters of the couple and led to protests outside the foster home. Authorities have also increased security for the court’s president, Cecilia Angrisano, after she reportedly received numerous threats and insults online.
The court had also ruled that the children – an eight-year-old girl and two six-year-old twins – should be moved to another facility, although that transfer has not yet taken place.
Alternative lifestyle not compatible with Italian judge
Trevallion and Birmingham had been raising the children in a remote property without electricity or running water in woodland near the town of Palmoli.
Italian authorities intervened over concerns about the children’s safety, their education and their ability to socialise with other children. In December, an appeals court rejected the couple’s challenge to the decision to place the children in care.
In November, the couple agreed to temporarily move into a farmhouse offered by a local restaurateur, Armando Carusi, while renovation work is carried out on their home in an effort to strengthen their case to regain custody.
The case has also drawn national political attention. On Sunday, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said the government would send inspectors to L’Aquila to examine the circumstances surrounding the separation of the mother from the children.
Meloni said the situation left her “speechless” and described the removal of the mother from the foster home as “another devastating trauma” for the children.
“Children don’t belong to the state and the judges have exceeded their limits,” she said.
The comments come ahead of the referendum on judicial reform scheduled for 22–23 March, in which Meloni’s government is seeking approval for changes to Italy’s justice system.
