Alix Dorsainvil was released from captivity after being kidnapped in Haiti (Picture: El Roi Haiti)
An American nurse and her daughter who were kidnapped in Haiti almost two weeks ago have been released.
On July 27, armed gang members stormed into El Roi Haiti’s health clinic in Port au Prince. They kidnapped Alix Dorsainvil, an American nurse who worked for the nonprofit, as well as her young daughter.
El Roi Haiti is a private Christian charity that operates a school in Haiti’s capital. Dorsainvil worked as a nurse on the school’s campus.
Dorsainvil is a native of New Hampshire, and is married to El Roi Haiti’s director Sandro Dorsainvil. Both her and her child hold US citizenship, the US State Department confirmed.
A child in Port au Prince holds a sign reading ‘We need the nurse’ during a protest to demand the release of American nurse Alix Dorsainvil and her daughter (Picture: REUTERS)
Almost two weeks later, El Roi Haiti confirmed that Dorsainvil and her child were released from captivity.
‘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,’ the charity said in a blog post on Wednesday. ‘Today we are praising God for answered prayer!’
El Roi Haiti did not provide any further details about her 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,’ the charity said.
Alix Dorsainvil is married to El Roi Haiti’s director, Sandro Dorsainvil (left) (Picture: HANDOUT/El Roi/AFP via Getty Images)
The same day Dorsainvil was kidnapped, the US State Department issued a ‘Do Not Travel’ warning for Haiti, due to ‘kidnapping, crime, civil unrest, and poor health care infrastructure.’
The State Department warns that US citizens in Haiti are often targeted in an effort to get family members to pay thousands of dollars in ransom money.
‘Kidnappers may use sophisticated planning or take advantage of unplanned opportunities, and even convoys have been attacked,’ the State Department said.
The same day Dorsainvil was kidnapped, the US State Department issued a ‘Do Not Travel’ warning for Haiti.