Family in the woods, why the mother was separated from her children: the reasons of the Court

"Catherine is often hostile and dismissive, mocking our attempts to find common ground and/or our explanations. She trusts no one and this influences the children who, according to her, are angry with everyone because they want to go home".

This is one of the passages from the order of the Juvenile Court of L'Aquila that cites the educators of the foster home where, since November 20, the mother and the children from the woods have been hosted, and which today decided to separate the woman from the children. "Subsequent developments - the judges write - have highlighted that the persistent and constant maternal presence is severely obstructive to the planned interventions and prejudicial to the emotional balance and education of the minors".

"The news of the decision by the Juvenile Court of L'Aquila to transfer the children of the family in the woods, without the mother, to another facility, which arrived just today, has been a 'coup de théâtre'. I wonder if the Court was aware of today's consultation or if it acted without even knowing what it was doing, and that would worry me even more. I only know that it is an unacceptable order, macroscopically erroneous, in its logical and legal premises, which must absolutely be revised and corrected,” stated lawyer Danila Solinas in front of the foster home where psychological assessments of the children were scheduled for today, who, along with Marco Femminella, assists Nathan and Catherine.

"Today we are removing three children from their mother and we continue to talk about minors, we fill our mouths talking about minors, their protection, the integrity of these minors, and then we allow that, after not even three months, these children are uprooted for the second time. Children who were happy! Someone explain to them - continued the lawyer - why their mother was kicked out, someone explain to them why, for the umpteenth time, they will be taken elsewhere, in fact, let the social worker explain it to us, who came here to wait for the mother to be kicked out! Let the decision be communicated to the children, let those who have the duty to do so, because the parents are in shock".

Among those who are returning to intervene in the matter is the President of the Abruzzo Region Lorenzo Sospiri. "Regarding the bitter and sad case of the so-called family in the woods, I believe a power struggle is taking place that is exceeding the limits of acceptability: I am disconcerted by the latest news regarding the alleged decision of the Tribunal of L'Aquila that would have ordered the removal of the mother from the three children and the separation of the latter from each other, relocated to another foster home. I wonder what facts of such gravity could justify such a measure, what the conditions of mistreatment of the children could be that would allow for such a violent separation from their mom and dad, and I believe the time has come for an institutional investigation into the matter".

"By choice, until today I have decided to remain cautious about the case of the family in the woods, and to observe from afar, with the utmost respect, what was decided by the justice authorities - President Sospiri recalled. The decision to impose placement in a protected foster home is acceptable, considering that a house in the middle of a forest is not deemed sufficiently suitable;

"the decision to closely follow the educational and formative process of the three children by requesting that they be followed by a recognized teacher is understandable; the decision, although difficult to comprehend in this case, to not allow the mother to sleep with her three children, who have been forced to spend the night alone for months, at 8 and 6 years old, away from their parents".

"But I believe - added Sospiri - that the latest measure is simply no longer tolerable: a parent is removed from their children when there is evidence of mistreatment, of violence against the children themselves. Neither our Constitution nor the organs of our Republic can allow a mother to have her children torn from her arms because she has not reached a proper degree of empathy with social workers or a psychologist, or because she refuses to adopt the lifestyle imposed by globalization and instead loves contact with nature. Nor can it be understood why the three children, including two twins, should be separated from each other, a measure light years away from any socio-educational protocol. I believe and ask that the latest measure, which I find unnatural and in some ways even cruel, be stopped and revoked".

"Rather, let us continue - emphasized President Sospiri - on the path of dialogue, confrontation, and mutual experiential exchange for the purpose of reciprocal understanding and authentic growth. Let us proceed along a path that aims to exclusively protect the interests of the children who have, in just a few months, lost their points of reference and have literally seen the almost fairy-tale world in which they grew up collapse. I believe that institutionally, a different attention is required regarding a situation that is destroying the balance of a family that should not be devastated, but should be helped."