Haitian Parents Testify They Gave Kids to Americans

[lizzybugsmomma]

 

Tuesday , February 09, 2010

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PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti â€” 

A lawyer for 10 U.S. missionaries detained in Haiti says parents of the children they're suspected of kidnapping told a judge they freely handed over their kids.

Aviol Fleurant argues the parents' testimony means no law was broken and "we can't talk any more about trafficking of human beings."

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Fleurant said Tuesday he's "confident" the judge will dismiss the case.

Prosecutors are to make their final argument Wednesday on whether to pursue the charges.

The Americans are accused of trying to take 33 children into the neighboring Dominican Republic without proper documentation.

The Baptist missionaries say they were heading to a Dominican orphanage following Haiti's devastating quake, and had only good intentions.

[joci2203]

I understand the intent they had, but maybe it could have been done a smarter way.

[LuciP]

How many of the parents gave permission is the question that needs to be addressed. I viewed a few interviews and the Americans even said they did not know what was needed. I also read where officials in the DR had told them ahead of time what they would need. It seems to me that if they already had an orphanage in Haiti they had had to have known some laws. Of course, I also think it is common sense to realize you just can't take children away from their homeland without some paperwork.

 

LuciP