Eight missing after Haiti orphanage raid

Eight people, including an Irish missionary and a 3-year-old child, are missing after armed men stormed a well-known orphanage near Haiti’s capital, according to authorities and aid officials.

The attack happened early Sunday at the Saint-Hélène orphanage in Kenscoff, an area now under gang control. The facility, which cares for more than 240 children, is run by the international charity Nos Petits Frères et Sœurs.

Among those kidnapped is Gena Heraty, an Irish national who has worked in Haiti for more than 30 years, focusing on children and adults with special needs. Heraty’s family said they were “absolutely devastated” and described the situation as “deeply worrying.”

Haitian authorities and UNICEF are now relocating children and staff to safer locations.

No group has claimed responsibility, but the area is reportedly controlled by the gang federation “Viv Ansanm,” which the U.S. has designated a terrorist organization.

The kidnapping is the latest in a surge of abductions targeting aid workers and civilians. According to the United Nations, 175 people were kidnapped in Haiti between April and June, with nearly 40% of cases in Port-au-Prince.

Ireland’s deputy prime minister has called for the immediate release of Heraty and the others.

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