A lawyer for the family at the center of a contentious child custody case in Italy says the parents are willing to reconsider some of their positions, according to a report from TGCOM24 on Saturday.
The case revolves around the three children of Catherine, who has accused social workers of “destroying and bullying” her children, as reported by Quotidiano Nazionale. The accusations stem from a WhatsApp message Catherine sent to Maria Luisa Palladino, the children’s court-appointed guardian, and Marika Bolognese, the children’s curator, detailing her concerns about the handling of the case.
According to reports, Palladino then attached Catherine’s message to a report submitted to the court, ostensibly to demonstrate the mother’s “obstinacy.” Palladino reportedly argued the message showed a “total closure to dialogue” from Catherine, and accused her of making “serious charges” and neglecting the “supreme interest of the minors.”
Tonino Cantelmi, an expert consultant in the case, told La Verità that the message was a private communication intended for the guardian and curator, and its use in court was a misinterpretation of Catherine’s distress. He stated the message “expresses all the pain of Catherine, and from my point of view, perfectly certifies the inability of the guardian, the curator and the social worker to see the pain of a mother and also the pain of the children.”
Cantelmi criticized the process of questioning Catherine, stating she was subjected to 570 questions during a psychological evaluation, leading to a breakdown. He expressed skepticism about the organization of the evaluation, suggesting it was overly lengthy and potentially harmful. He also questioned the competence of the assessor conducting the psychological evaluation of the parents, noting delays in securing a suitable translator.
The team of neuro-psychiatry from the Asl of Vasto has reportedly stated that the parents are “valid emotional supports” for the children and that reunification of the family should occur. Cantelmi echoed this sentiment, stating the current separation is causing “a very painful trauma” to the children, exceeding the problems that initially led to their removal. He argued that the initial decision to remove the children was a mistake and called for a reversal of the decision.
Despite these concerns, Cantelmi indicated there is currently no intention to return the children to their parents. The psychological evaluation of the parents is ongoing.
