Nathan Trevallion and Catherine Birmingham pose for a picture with their children, who have been removed from their custody following an order from a juvenile court. A portion of this photo has been blurred by CNN to protect identities. Courtesy Catherine Birmingham

The self-described idyllic life of a family of five living in an Italian forest with horses, donkeys and chickens has stalled after a court ordered the children be removed and placed in foster care.

Patrol cars were dispatched to remove the children from their home in Abruzzo to a church-run care facility. The mother is staying at the same premise but the parents have limited access to the children, their family lawyer said.

The fate of the children, known in Italian as the Bimbi nel Bosc o or kids in the woods, has capt

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