An American nurse and her child, who were abducted in Haiti on July 27th, continue to be unaccounted for, as rising gang-police confrontations prompt the State Department to command U.S officials and their families to exit the nation.
El Roi Haiti, a Christian humanitarian group, verified in a press announcement that Alex Dorsainvil, a 31-year-old American nurse, and her daughter – both residents of Haiti – were seized from the premises of the non-governmental organization.
“We can confirm that Alix Dorsainvil, the wife of our Director Sandro Dorsainvil, and their child, were kidnapped on Thursday, July 27 in the morning at the NGO site near Port-au-Prince,” the statement said.
The life of Alex Dorsainvil
Jason Brown, El Roi Haiti’s president, described Dorsainvil as their “school and community nurse.”
He praised her for her persistent dedication to those in pain, tirelessly working to alleviate the suffering of the sick.
He portrayed her as a person of profound love and compassion, viewing Haiti as her homeland and the Haitian people as her family and friends.
State Department issues a level 4 advisory for Haiti
The day Dorsainvil was abducted coincided with the State Department’s issuance of a Level 4 (Do Not Travel) Advisory for Haiti, citing the reasons as due to “kidnapping, crime, civil unrest, and poor health care infrastructure.”
“US citizens in Haiti should depart Haiti as soon as possible by commercial or other privately available transportation options, in light of the current security situation and infrastructure challenges. US citizens wishing to depart Port-au-Prince should monitor local news and only do so when considered safe,” the department advised.
It further justified its advisory for U.S citizens to exit Haiti, citing the inability to assure protection if they chose to stay.
The Associated Press (AP) conveyed that a statement from the U.S State Department acknowledged that it was “aware of the kidnapping of two American nationals in Haiti” and “are in regular contact with the Haitian authorities and we continue to collaborate with them.”
The latest news from Haiti & the Caribbean
Read more articles about Haiti from Caribbean National Weekly