Is there a maximum age to become a parent? The question may seem strange given the fact that many are postponing paternity or motherhood these days. In Italy, for example, Gabriella and Luigi de Ambrosis, who at the age of 57 and 69, respectively, made headlines in 2010 when they had their first child - but the story is far from a happy ending, as the justice of the country has removed custody of the child because they are too old for the job.

It all started in 2009, when they decided to get pregnant and traveled abroad in search of the most advanced IVF methods. In May of the following year, their daughter was born healthy but controversial over having "grandparent parents, " as the Ambrosis became known - so much so that the local Guardian Council was called in to assess their ability to have a baby.

Under Italian law, there is no clause prohibiting child rearing, but her daughter was removed from home under the age of one and a half years because of allegations of “abandonment” - she had been left unsupervised for a few minutes. In fact, she stayed 7 minutes in the family car parked in front of the house while her parents prepared her bottle. The unfolding of this story is surreal!

Gabriella with her daughter before separation is determined by justice

A new family

A neighbor considered that the girl had been abandoned by her parents and called the police. According to the couple, they were keeping an eye on the child through the window, as the preparation of the bottle would be quick. The lawsuit proceeded very quickly, and a judge found the Ambrosis unfit to have a child and withdrew his daughter, who joined the adoption line.

In the report, the judge stated that Gabriella's pregnancy was the result of distorted application of advances in genetics. The nightmare was just beginning: it took three years for the couple's defense attorney to reverse the judge's decision, but the girl still didn't return home.

It turns out that in the meantime the child had already been adopted! And reversing this process could be detrimental to its formation, according to the country's justice system. Recently, a new appeal considered the adoption legal and that the umbilical cord with the family that generated it had been cut many years ago. The case now goes to the Supreme Court of Italy. The girl is almost 7 years old, while her parents are already 63 (Gabriella) and 75 (Luigi).

Gabriella and Luigi still dream of taking their daughter home