Gena Heraty, an Irish missionary, and eight others were kidnapped from the Sainte-Hélène orphanage near Port-au-Prince. The attackers reportedly breached a wall to access the premises. With rising gang control in the region, this incident mirrors the ongoing crisis, as the UN highlights significant kidnappings and displacement within Haiti.
Irish Missionary and Toddlers Among Nine Abducted from Haiti Orphanage
Irish Missionary and Toddlers Among Nine Abducted from Haiti Orphanage
Nine individuals, including an Irish missionary and a three-year-old child, were taken hostage from a Haitian orphanage amidst escalating gang violence.
In a shocking incident in Haiti, nine people, including an Irish missionary and a toddler, were kidnapped from a children's orphanage on Sunday. Gena Heraty, the director of the Sainte-Hélène orphanage located in Kenscoff, near the capital Port-au-Prince, was among those abducted. The attackers executed a well-planned raid, breaking through a wall to access the orphanage at approximately 15:30 local time (07:30 GMT), as reported by local officials including Mayor Massillon Jean.
In total, the group taken included seven employees and a three-year-old child from the facility, which provides care for over 240 children, including some with disabilities. The assailants did not fire weapons during the attack, suggesting a calculated approach rather than a chaotic takeover. While a source indicated that Ms. Heraty was able to reach out to her organization, Our Little Brothers and Sisters, to confirm the kidnapping shortly after it occurred, no ransom demands have been made public as of yet.
Ms. Heraty, who has dedicated her life to Haiti since 1993, is well-known for her humanitarian efforts, having received multiple accolades, including the Oireachtas Human Dignity Award. Her commitment to the children she serves has kept her in the country, despite the increasing gang-related violence that has jeopardized safety in the region.
Kenskoff has seen a significant uptick in criminal activities since early 2025, experiencing frequent incursions from local gangs, which now dominate much of Port-au-Prince and other internal areas. Despite efforts by Haitian police and foreign allies, utilizing advanced methods like weaponized drones, these attempts to expel the gangs have proven largely ineffective.
The United Nations has voiced serious concerns regarding security within and around Port-au-Prince, stating that armed groups exert control over approximately 85% of the city. Cases like the recent kidnapping of six Unicef employees illustrate the pervasive nature of this crime wave; while one employee was released soon after, the others were held captive for weeks.
A report from 2025 highlights a dramatic increase in violence, with nearly 350 kidnappings recorded in the first half of the year alone. The accompanying rise in fatalities, which includes over 3,000 deaths in the same timeframe, has alarmed human rights advocates. UN Human Rights chief Volker Türk emphasized that the escalating gang violence poses an existential threat to Haiti, contributing to the unprecedented displacement of 1.3 million individuals within the country. The social fabric has disintegrated, leaving many families to seek refuge in makeshift shelters while grappling with rising health risks and security concerns.
