Archive · 24 Nov 2025
Italy Removes Children from Off-Grid Family
A British father and Australian mother were living with their three kids in a wooden house in Italy without running water or a toilet.
They grew their own food and taught their children at home.
After the family got sick from eating poisonous mushrooms, the authorities checked their home and decided the kids weren't safe.
They took the children away and put them in a shelter.
The parents say they were living happily and safely, but the authorities say the kids need proper schools and better living conditions.
Many people online support the family and want the kids to go back home.
Italian authorities removed three children from a British-Australian couple living off-grid in Abruzzo due to unsafe conditions and lack of schooling.
The family lived in a rustic farmhouse with no running water, no indoor toilet, and relied on solar panels for electricity and a well for water.
The incident that triggered the removal was a hospitalization after the family ate poisonous mushrooms.
The court ruled that the children's welfare was compromised by their living environment, citing lack of formal schooling, modern sanitation, and social interaction.
The parents insist their children were well-cared for and thriving, and they plan to appeal the decision.
- Who
- British-Australian couple Nathan Trevallion and Catherine Birmingham and their three children
- What
- Italian authorities removed the children citing unsafe living conditions and lack of schooling
- When
- The children were removed after a court ruling in 2024 following a mushroom-poisoning incident
- Where
- The family lived in a woodland home near Palmoli in the Abruzzo region of Italy
- Why
- Authorities believed the living conditions and lack of formal education and social interaction posed serious risks to the children's wellbeing
- Family Members
- Nathan Trevallion (British father), Catherine Birmingham (Australian mother), three children (8-year-old daughter, 6-year-old twin boys)
- Location
- Wooded hills near Palmoli, Abruzzo, Italy
- Living Conditions
- No running water, no indoor toilet, solar panels for electricity, well for water, outdoor composting toilet
- Incident Trigger
- Mushroom poisoning hospitalization in 2024
- Court Ruling
- Children's welfare compromised by living environment
- Public Reaction
- Over 13,000 signatures on petition supporting the family
- Political Involvement
- Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini have commented on the case
- Family's Defence
- Non-traditional lifestyle prioritizing environmental awareness and natural living