Investigations continue on the three children of Anglo-Australian couple Nathan and Catherine, who live in a wooded area of Palmoli, Abruzzo. The minors were removed last Thursday by the Juvenile Court of L'Aquila and transferred to a foster home, where their mother is caring for them in accordance with court orders. "The children will now undergo a series of activities and medical checks with the pediatrician, vaccinations will be verified, and a psychological consultation that has not been possible until now," explains the mayor of Palmoli, Giuseppe Masciulli. Yesterday morning, the father went to the foster home to bring fruit, clothes, and other personal belongings, staying until the afternoon. In the small village of Palmoli, with just over eight hundred inhabitants, the community is following the situation with concern and expressing its sympathy for the family.
The removal of minors, however, has sparked national political debate. Justice Minister Carlo Nordio urged caution: "Removing a child from their family is an extremely painful act, so it needs to be thoroughly investigated. At this time, it's premature to make any procedural considerations." Nordio raised the issue of parents' lifestyle choices: "For decades, we've been bombarded by prophets calling for a return to the state of nature. We need to see whether this compromises children's education."
Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini's stance is of the opposite tone, calling it a "kidnapping" and calling the operation "unworthy, worrying, and shameful." Salvini announced a visit to Abruzzo next week, adding: "Judges and social workers should stop bothering us. We need a profound reform of the justice system."
The National Association of Magistrates (ANM) has intervened in defense of the work of magistrates, calling for respect for the jurisdictional role in a matter "that involves some of the most sensitive values." The ANM emphasizes that the court's decision "is based on technical assessments and objective factors: safety, health conditions, access to social services, compulsory education," and criticizes "political exploitation," which it considers inconsistent with the protection of minors.
Meanwhile, the family's lawyer, Giovanni Angelucci, provides an update on the three children's state of mind: "They are shaken, but they are facing the situation with strength and positivity because they are convinced they are in the right. Their parents have always kept them informed of everything." The lawyer speaks of "a disarming inner peace" and reports that their father, though distraught, is confident that the matter "will be resolved, because they have not broken any law and the measure is an injustice."
(Unioneonline)