Haitian judge frees one of two missionaries; Silsby still held

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March 8, 2010

Christian Examiner staff report

CALLEBAS, Haiti — One of two American missionaries still being held on kidnapping charges after trying to bring 33 Haitian orphans into the Dominican Republic, was released Monday, Mar. 8 after a judge signed a order three days before directing her release. Her attorneys said she was heading to the airport after her afternoon release.

Despite the order, Coulter remained jailed through the weekend after administrators could not track down a paperwork seal required to finalize the order. Coulter was in Haiti with a group of 10 Americans who were doing humanitarian work after a massive earthquake killed more than 220,000 people in and around the capital city of Port-au-Prince. The group was detained at the border Jan. 29 when officials determined they lacked the proper paperwork to leave the country with the children. Eight of the missionaries were conditionally released on Feb. 17 after the judge ruled there was no criminal intent to their actions.

Coulter was forced to stay behind with Laura Silsby, the group’s leader. Coulter, who was briefly treated in Haiti for diabetes, is Silsby’s nanny. The judge said investigators were looking into an earlier trip the pair took to Haiti late last year in order to determine the pair’s motives.

Haitian officials tightened regulations over children leaving the country in an effort to protect them from trafficking.

The eight released missionaries, most from Idaho, said they had nothing to do with the arrangements for the mission trip and instead depended on Silsby for the logistics.

The group’s arrest prompted appeals from various Christian groups, although the Obama administration did not intervene on the American’s behalf. Critics of their action said attention was being directed away from crucial needs for the region.

In a Feb. 5 letter to the White House, leaders from the Southern Baptist Convention urged Obama to work for their release, adding that although details surrounding the group’s work was not immediately known, their motives appeared to be right.

“The Haitian government and the international community immediately interpreted their actions in the worst light possible, alleging that they were trafficking in children,” the letter read. “As the story has unfolded, it has become more and more apparent that these 10 individuals were driven by the true selflessness of altruism. Moved with compassion, they acted.”

March 2, 2010

Haiti judge keeps American detainees in jail

CALLEBAS, Haiti — A Haitian judge says he is not ready to release his decision on the two remaining Americans held in jail on kidnapping charges.

Judge Bernard Saint-Vil detained two of the 10 Americans — Laura Silsby and Charisa Coulter — for additional questioning. Depositions were taken March 2 from the detainees and the U.S. embassy was hoping for a release.

According to news reports, Saint-Vil had said earlier he would probably order a release of the detainees after the March 2 hearing. He did not explain the delay.

The Haiti judge told Reuters the women could be freed and that he had not found any wrongdoing. That still may happen, but not yet.

The Associated Press reported that Judge Saint-Vil traveled to see the orphanage where the American group planned to house the children. He also asked questions of a pastor "and another man" from a border town, AP reported. Saint-Vil is expected to rule on the case this week.

He told Reuters on Feb. 23, "We haven't found anything that could suggest wrongdoing on the part of the Americans.”

Silsby and Coulter and eight other Baptist volunteers were arrested Jan. 29 on charges of child kidnapping and criminal association when they tried to take 33 children out of the earthquake-ravaged country and to a makeshift orphanage in the Dominican Republic. They allegedly did not have the proper paperwork.

The other eight team members were released from jail Feb. 18 and are back in the United States. Saint-Vil kept Silsby and Coulter in jail because he had further questions for them.

Silsby and the others have said they simply were trying to help the children.

February 24, 2010

Remaining two Haiti detainees to be freed

CALLEBAS, Haiti — The two detained missionaries still in jail in Haiti will be freed and possibly could be released this week, the judge overseeing the case says.

"We haven't found anything that could suggest wrongdoing on the part of the Americans," Judge Bernard Saint-Vil told Reuters Thursday.

"I think they could be released this week," he added.

Laura Silsby and Charisa Coulter, members of Central Valley Baptist Church in Meridian, Idaho, have been in jail since Jan. 29, when they and eight of their team members were arrested on charges of child kidnapping and criminal association when they tried to take 33 children out of the earthquake-ravaged country and to a makeshift orphanage in the Dominican Republic. They allegedly did not have the proper paperwork.

The other eight team members were released from jail Feb. 18. Saint-Vil kept Silsby and Coulter in jail because he had further questions for them.

"The case will be over this week because we have no criminal grounds to pursue it," Saint-Vil told Reuters after questioning Silsby and Coulter.

"Thank you for helping to reveal the truth," Silsby told Saint-Vil. She told Reuters, "I hope we will be released because we did nothing wrong."

Silsby and the others have said they simply were trying to help the children.

BP news

February 19, 2010

Two missionaries still detained in Haiti appear before judge

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — As enthusiastic friends and family in the United States welcomed home eight missions volunteers jailed in Haiti since Jan. 29, two other members of their team appeared Feb. 18 before a judge in Haiti.

Laura Silsby and Charisa Coulter had to remain behind because Judge Bernard Saint-Vil wanted to question them about a trip the pair made to a Haitian orphanage in December. He also wants to know whether they knew Jorge Puello, a fugitive from justice in El Salvador, before he presented himself to the jailed Americans as a lawyer willing to help them for free.

Their appearance before the judge was shortened, however, because a court-appointed translator was out due to illness, CNN reported. Silsby said she told the judge it was not true she had misled the other missionaries in her group and said the December visit to the orphanage was to bring food, clothes and toys to the children.

As she left the proceedings, Silsby told reporters, "We're trusting God for all truth to be revealed and believing that God will reveal the truth through the Haitian justice system. They are seeking the truth."

In Boise, Idaho, Corinna Lankford, Nicole Lankford and Carla Thompson were welcomed by a crowd that greeted them with hymns and cheers, according to news reports. "Our God is an awesome God, and He stood with us every second we were there," Thompson said, according to the Idaho Statesman. "I want you to continue to pray for Laura and Charisa's release. He's going to bring them home, too."

The plane carrying the team members to Boise was delayed an hour, until after midnight. While they waited, the crowd sang "Amazing Grace" and "How Great Thou Art" in the airport lobby, the Statesman said.

Four other team members were greeted with similar enthusiasm Thursday when they arrived at the airport in Kansas City, Mo. One of the team members, Drew Culberth, hoisted his youngest child onto his shoulders while his wife, Marta, and their three other children crowded close, the Associated Press reported.

The eighth team member, Jim Allen, was cheered as he entered the civic center in Amarillo, Texas, where he was surrounded by about 20 relatives and his wife. "I want to thank the tremendous amount of people who were involved" in getting him released, Allen told reporters, his voice cracking with emotion. The crowd erupted in applause when he added, "I want to thank my God for protecting me.""

Allen said, "The reason I went was for the relief effort — to help these people — and they still need your help."

In a statement posted on his church's website, Allen said he hoped the release of the eight team members "will allow everyone to focus again on the dire conditions that remain in Haiti. People are still suffering and lack basic necessities. Please find it in your hearts, as I did in mine, to find ways to give to those in need. For those whose cases have not been resolved, we will continue to pray for their safe return."

Despite Allen's ordeal, members of his congregation, Paramount Baptist Church in Amarillo, will be sending a contingency to Haiti by week's end. Before the quake, a team was scheduled to work on an orphanage and in an AIDS hospital. That work will go on, Paramount associate pastor Lance Herrington said.

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