“They drilled a wall”: nine people kidnapped in an orphanage in Haiti, including a disabled child

Nine people were withdrawn this Sunday, August 3 in Haiti, officials from this Caribbean country reported in the control of the violence of criminal gangs.

They were kidnapped in the middle of the night in Kenscoff, I communicated to the southeast of Prince Port-Au Capital, within his orphanage of Sainte-Hélène of the organization “Our little brothers and sisters”, established in many countries in Central and South America.

Among these victims are the head of the establishment, Gena Heraty, missionary of the Irish nationality, seven Haitian employees and a three -year -old boy with disabilities, the mayor of Kenscoff, Masillon Jean and a source close to the humanitarian organization.

“The attackers broke into the orphanage around 3:30 am local (9:30 am French time, note of the editor), without opening fire. They drilled a wall to enter the property before going to the building where the manager resided, and went back with the nine hostages,” said the councilor, evoking “a planned action.”

No request or rescue have been made. However, Gena Heraty was able to briefly get into telephone contact with employees on Sunday morning to confirm the elimination, said the source near the orphanage.

Haiti, kidnapping dam

The Sainte-Hélène orphanage welcomes around 270 children, including fifty living with a disability. On the website of “Our little brothers and sisters”, Gena Heraty has been presented as an Irish “responsible for the programs of young children and adults with disabilities in Haiti” and lives in the poorest country in the Americas since 1993.

In recent years there have been a series of kidnappings of foreign missionaries in Haiti. In April 2021, ten people, including two French priests, had been kidnapped on the cross of the bouquets of the gang “400 Mawozo”, before being released 20 days later. This same group had been behind the kidnapping six months after 16 American missionaries and a Canadian of the “Christian Aid Minister” organization.

Since January, the Municipality of Kenscoff has been the objective of the “Viv Antanm” criminal coalition, which has already taken control of several locations and has made its inhabitants huyan. Police are struggling to restore security in this area.

At least 3,141 people died in Haiti between January 1 and June 30, the UN High Human Rights Commission, fearing that the violence of gangs, which has intensified since 2024, does not destabilize other Caribbean countries.