An American nurse and her daughter were released Wednesday by their captors after they were kidnapped in Haiti, according to El Roi Haiti, the non-profit organization she works for.
Alix Dorsainvil and her child were from the organization’s clinic near Port-au-Prince on July 27.
‘It is with a heart of gratitude and immense joy that we at El Roi Haiti confirm the safe release of our staff member and friend, Alix Dorsainvil and her child who were held hostage in Port au Prince, Haiti,’ El Roi Haiti said in a statement following their release.
‘There is still much to process and to heal from in this situation, so we are asking that no attempts be made to contact Alix or her family at this time.’
It’s unknown if any financial transactions were made to secure their freedom.
American nurse Alix Dorsainvil (pictured) and her daughter were released by kidnappers in Haiti on Wednesday, according to El Roi Haiti, the non-profit organization she works for
Alix Dorsainvil (right) with her husband Sandro Dorsainvil, founder and director of El Roi Haiti, a faith-based humanitarian organization that provides medical care, education and other basic services to people in Haiti’s poorest areas.
A child holds up a sign reading, ‘We’re waiting for nurse Alix,’ during an August 3 protest to demand the release of American nurse Alix Dorsainvil and her daughter, who were kidnapped by armed men, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on July 27
The U.S.State Department welcomed news of the medical professional and her daughter being released and applauded Haitian and U.S. interagency partners for facilitating their freedom.
‘We have no greater priority than the safety and security of U.S.citizens overseas,’ the agency said. ‘As you can imagine, these individuals have been through a very difficult ordeal, both physically and mentally.’
The kidnappers reportedly had requested a $1 million ransom for the mother and her daughter.
Alix Dorsainvil, полезная информация who graduated from Regis College in Weston, Massachusetts, had been living in Haiti with her husband Sandro Dorsainvil, the founder and director of the Christian organization.
He was raised in Port-au-Prince and later attended school in the United States before returning to Haiti to start the non-profit with the hope religious faith could play a role in solving the nation’s issues.
The faith-based humanitarian organization provided medical care, education and other basic services to people in Haiti’s poorest areas.
In a blog post, the non-profit said Alix Dorsainvil fell in love with the country’s people during a visit following the 2010 earthquake that hit the Caribbean nation.
Dorsainvil (right) has been living in Haiti with her husband Sandro Dorsainvil, the founder and director of the Christian organization, El Roi Haiti.They are parents to a young girl
The release of Dorsainvil and her daughter took place a day after the United States Embassy in the capital of Port-of-Prince was closed after gunfire in the vicinity.
The closure follows tense protests that rattled the capital on Monday, when demonstrators squared off against police, demanding protection from gangs.
Gang violence in Haiti has sent kidnappings and homicides surging, while devastating health care, since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021.
At least 5.2 million people – nearly half of Haiti’s population – need humanitarian assistance, according to the United Nations.