A person walks in front of the United States embassy in Port-au-Prince on Tuesday. Dozens of people were dispersed by the Haitian National Police after fleeing their homes in the capital’s Tabarre neighborhood due to violence by armed gangs. File Photo by Johnson Sabin/EPA-EFE
July 29 (UPI) — A woman from New Hampshire and her child were kidnapped Thursday in Hati, according to a Christian humanitarian aid group.
Alix Dorsainvil, the wife of the director of El Roi Haiti, was kidnapped with her child near the organization’s campus near Port au Prince, the group said in a statement.
“Our team at El Roi Haiti is grateful for the outpouring of prayers, care, and support for our colleague. We continue to work with our partners and trusted relationships to secure their safe return,” the statement reads.
“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.”
The humanitarian group asked the public not to speculate about the situation in order to protect Dorsainvil and her child.
The U.S. State Department issued a travel advisory in Haiti on Friday, ordering all non-emergency personnel and eligible families to leave.
The Bureau of Consular Affairs on Thursday limited all U.S. government personnel in Haiti to the confined area around its Port-au-Prince Embassy and prohibited them from walking in Haiti’s capital.
“U.S. citizens in Haiti should depart Haiti as soon as possible by commercial or other privately available transportation options, in light of the current security situation and infrastructure challenges,” a statement from Consular Affairs said.
“Kidnapping is widespread, and victims regularly include U.S. citizens. Kidnappers may use sophisticated planning or take advantage of unplanned opportunities, and even convoys have been attacked.”