Haiti: 9 Abducted from Orphanage, Including Child with Disability

Nine people, including an Irish missionary worker and a three-year-old child with a disability, have been abducted in Haiti. The incident occurred in Kenscoff, southeast of Port-au-Prince, at the Sainte-Hélène orphanage of the organization 'Nos petits frères et sœurs'.

The victims include the head of the facility, Gina Heraty, seven Haitian employees, and the child with a disability. The perpetrators broke into the orphanage without firing shots, breaching a wall to gain access.

No one has claimed responsibility, nor has a ransom been demanded. Gina Heraty confirmed the abduction in a phone call with her colleagues.

Sainte-Hélène currently houses approximately 270 children, 50 of whom have physical or mental disabilities. In recent years, there have been numerous abductions of foreigners in Haiti. In April 2021, ten people, including two French priests, were abducted by the '400 Mawozo' gang.

Since January, Kenscoff has become a target of the 'Viv Ansanm' gang alliance, forcing residents to flee. In July, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed fears about the escalating gang violence in Haiti.