The kidnapping of nine individuals from the Sainte-Hélène orphanage in Haiti, including Irish missionary Gena Heraty and a young child, underscores the perilous security situation in the country as gang violence surges.
Kidnapping Crisis Deepens in Haiti: Irish Missionary and Child Among Victims
Kidnapping Crisis Deepens in Haiti: Irish Missionary and Child Among Victims
Nine individuals, including an Irish missionary and a three-year-old child, have been abducted from an orphanage in Haiti amidst escalating gang violence.
In a harrowing incident, nine people were kidnapped from the Sainte-Hélène orphanage in Kenscoff, near Port-au-Prince, Haiti, early Sunday morning. Among those abducted were Gena Heraty, the orphanage's director and a long-time Irish missionary, and a three-year-old child. The local mayor, Massillon Jean, reported that the attackers, inferred to be members of gangs plaguing the region, executed a well-planned assault, breaking through a wall to enter the premises around 3:30 AM.
Gena Heraty, who has been dedicated to humanitarian work in Haiti since 1993, confirmed her kidnapping to her organization "Our little brothers and sisters." Despite the dangers presented by escalating gang violence, she previously expressed her commitment to staying in Haiti for the sake of the children. The orphanage caters to over 240 children, including some with disabilities.
The risks in the area have intensified, especially in Kenscoff, which has been subject to continuous gang incursions. The UN has highlighted dire conditions; an estimated 85% of Port-au-Prince is under gang control, prompting fears of further destabilization in the nation. The Nepalese police and other allies have attempted to reclaim territory from these gangs but have struggled to achieve meaningful success.
As of January, over one million people have been internally displaced due to gang-related violence, and alarming UN statistics show a troubling rise in kidnappings and violence, with 350 incidents reported in the first half of 2025 alone. Human Rights Chief Volker Türk has warned about the catastrophic impact of a surge in criminal activities on the vulnerable population of Haiti, where families are left to navigate a landscape of lawlessness and fear.
