American nurse and daughter kidnapped in Haiti have been freed
An American nurse and her daughter who were kidnapped in Haiti have been freed, the Christian humanitarian aid organization where she worked said.
El Roi Haiti announced the release of Alix Dorsainvil and her child on its website early Wednesday morning. Both were kidnapped on June 27, the same day the U.S. State Department ordered the withdrawal of non-emergency personnel from its embassy in Port-au-Prince and all U.S. citizens from the country due to an escalation in gang violence and kidnappings.
“It is with a heart of gratitude and immense joy that we at El Roi Haiti confirm the safe release of our staff member and friend, Alix Dorsainvil and her child, who were held hostage in Port au Prince, Haiti. Today we are praising God for answered prayer!” the nonprofit said on its website. “We are so thankful for everyone who joined us in prayer and supported us during this crisis.”
The organization did not say if a ransom was paid for their freedom. A ransom of $1 million had been requested. Dorsainvil is originally from New Hampshire and was working in the clinic when she was grabbed by armed men, witnesses told the Associated Press.
“There is still much to process and to heal from in this situation, so we are asking that no attempts be made to contact Alix or her family at this time,” the aid group said. “We will continue to release information as appropriate on our website. Please keep checking back. And again, thanks for all of the prayers and support through this incredibly difficult time.”
Department of State Spokesman Matthew Miller said the U.S. welcomes the release of Dorsainvil and her daughter.
“We have no greater priority, of course, than the safety and security of U.S. citizens overseas. We express our deepest appreciation to our Haitian and U.S. inter-agency partners for their assistance in facilitating for their safe release,” he said.
Kidnappings have been on the rise in Haiti, where UNICEF said this week that the number of women and children being abducted is seeing an alarming spike. And while Dorsainvil, a U.S. citizen, has been released, there are others in Haiti who remain in captivity. Among them is Pierre-Louis Opont, a television station owner and the former head of the Provisional Electoral Council. Opont oversaw the 2015 general elections where late president Jovenel Moïse was a candidate and the ballot had to be rerun due to allegations of “massive fraud.”
Since August 2020, Opont has been a member of a government board charged with the modernization of public enterprise. He was kidnapped in late June and continues to be held despite an undisclosed payment of a ransom. His abduction occurred less than 10 days after his wife, radio journalist Marie Lucie Bonhomme, was abducted from inside her home in the Tabarre area in the middle of the night. The gang Kraze Baryè, whose violence led the U.S. embassy in Port-au-Prince to cut back services to the public on Tuesday, is believed to be behind the abduction. The gang is led by Vitel’homme Innocent.
