Detained Americans Return to Haitian Court for Questioning
- 14 years ago
Ten Americans charged with kidnapping children in Haiti returned to the prosecutor's office on Wednesday for hearings before a judge.
The missionaries have denied wrongdoing, saying they were only trying to help children left destitute by the quake.
A mother who gave her child to the missionaries believes that no harm was done.
[Melanie Augustin, Mother]:
"The Americans did not force the parents and did not offer us money for the children. They did it to help because we live in a miserable state."
Authorities found that many of the children intercepted had living parents who had voluntarily given them up in hope they would find a better life in the United States.
The detained American missionaries were charged last week with child abduction and criminal association.
This week, they have traveled daily to the prosecutor's office in Port-au-Prince to testify before a judge who can decide whether to release them or continue to hold them.
The missionaries have denied wrongdoing, saying they were only trying to help children left destitute by the quake.
A mother who gave her child to the missionaries believes that no harm was done.
[Melanie Augustin, Mother]:
"The Americans did not force the parents and did not offer us money for the children. They did it to help because we live in a miserable state."
Authorities found that many of the children intercepted had living parents who had voluntarily given them up in hope they would find a better life in the United States.
The detained American missionaries were charged last week with child abduction and criminal association.
This week, they have traveled daily to the prosecutor's office in Port-au-Prince to testify before a judge who can decide whether to release them or continue to hold them.