Web-posted Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Haiti parents testify they gave kids to Americans
By The Associated Press
newsroomfb@amarillo.com
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) - Parents of some of the children who 10 U.S. missionaries tried to take out of Haiti after its catastrophic earthquake told a judge Tuesday they freely handed over their kids, the Americans' lawyer said.
The parents' testimony means no law was broken and "we can't talk any more about trafficking of human beings," attorney Aviol Fleurant told reporters.
He said he was "confident" the judge will dismiss the case.
Nine of the Americans, most from an Idaho church group, have now been interviewed by the judge, who is to decide whether they will stand trial. The judge did not speak with reporters.
The Americans were charged with kidnapping and criminal association last week for trying to take 33 children into the neighboring Dominican Republic on Jan. 29 without proper documentation.
The Baptist missionaries say they were heading to a Dominican orphanage following Haiti's devastating quake, and had only good intentions.
Their leader, Laura Silsby, of Meridian, Idaho, told The Associated Press the day after their arrest that the children were obtained from orphanages and distant relatives.
However, the parents of some them told the AP last week that they gave their children willingly to the missionaries with the understanding that the kids would be educated and relatives could visit them.
Silsby was the only American not to appear in court on Tuesday.
The lawyer who represented the missionaries until last week said Silsby deceived the rest of the group and that everyone but her should go free.
One of the Baptists, Jim Allen of Amarillo, Texas, was represented Tuesday by a separate lawyer.
Flaurent said the Americans would be back in court Wednesday.
The Americans' original Haitian lawyer was fired Friday for allegedly attempting to bribe their way out of jail without their knowledge.
UPDATE: From Amarillo Globe News
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