An American woman and her child were reportedly abducted on Thursday, July 27, in the vicinity of the capital city of Haiti, as stated by the faith-based humanitarian organization for which the woman works as a nurse.
Kidnapping of an American Mother and Her Child
Reports from the group El Roi Haiti indicate that Alix Dorsainvil and her kid were abducted from their home in Port-au-Prince. El Roi Haiti, president, and co-founder Jason Brown released a statement saying the kidnapping occurred while the victims were "serving in our community ministry" on the school's grounds.
In the statement released on Saturday, July 29, Brown said, "Alix is a deeply compassionate and loving person who considers Haiti her home and the Haitian people her friends and family ... Alix has worked tirelessly as our school and community nurse to bring relief to those who are suffering as she loves and serves the people of Haiti in the name of Jesus."
El Roi Haiti verified to ABC News that Dorsainvil is from New Hampshire but has been living and working in Haiti for some time. She is the organization's school and community nurse and the wife of the director, with whom she has a kid, as reported by the group.
ABC News received confirmation on Saturday from a representative for the US State Department that it is aware of the news about the abduction of two US nationals in Haiti. The spokesperson said, "We are in regular contact with Haitian authorities and will continue to work with them and our US government interagency partners."
The safety and security of the American people is the first concern for the US Department of State and its foreign embassies and consulates, the representative added.
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Social Turmoil in Haiti
Family members of US government workers and non-emergency US government employees in Haiti were ordered an evacuation on Thursday after the State Department confirmed the abduction.
US residents in Haiti are encouraged to leave the country as soon as possible via commercial or other privately accessible transportation alternatives due to the unstable security situation and deteriorating infrastructure, according to a State Department recommendation.
The State Department warns Americans against visiting Haiti owing to the high risk of abduction, as well as criminality, social turmoil, and a lack of adequate medical facilities.
Since President Jovenel Moise was killed in 2021, Haiti has been experiencing a political crisis. Kidnappings, armed robberies, and other acts of violence are commonplace, and gangs control around 80% of the city.
Antonio Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, issued a request to form a multinational force for Haiti earlier this month, BBC News reported.
To assist in training local law enforcement, Kenya has volunteered to send 1,000 police personnel. Any mission will need both official authorization from the Kenyan government and a mandate from the UN Security Council.
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