Haiti Roundup: Judge Frees Eight U.S. Missionaries
February 18, 2010 | Read Time: 1 minute
Eight of the 10 American missionaries held in a Port-au-Prince jail since late last month on suspicion of kidnapping children returned to the United States Thursday after being freed by a Haitian judge, writes the Associated Press.
The missionaries had been detained January 29 while attempting to take 33 children into the Dominican Republic without documentation. Judge Bernard Saint-Vil said he decided to release eight of the missionaries after parents testified that they had voluntarily given their children to the group, believing the Americans would give them a better life.
The charity’s leader, Laura Silsby, and another woman were kept in custody because they had visited Haiti before the January 12 earthquake to inquire about obtaining orphans.
In other Haiti news, Kris Allen, last year’s winner on American Idol, will return to the Fox TV talent show next week to raise money for earthquake relief, says the Associated Press.
As part of the show’s Idol Gives Back charity program, Mr. Allen will perform on the February 25 episode and will present video from his forthcoming visit to Haiti with the United Nations Foundation. Viewers will be asked to make online or text-message donations.
