Haiti frees 8 of the 10

David Knowles
Writer
(Feb. 17) -- A Haitian judge has released eight of the 10 American missionaries being held since being accused of trying to illegally remove 33 children from the country following the Jan. 12 earthquake.

Judge Bernard Sainvil said that most of the Americans were free to leave Haiti without posting bail, on the condition that they return to the country to answer further questions in the ongoing investigation.

The missionaries, who are affiliated with two Idaho Baptist churches, said they were trying to help the children by taking them to an orphanage in the Dominican Republic.

Later, however, it was learned that some of the parents of the children were still alive, and that one of the Baptist group's legal advisers is wanted on people smuggling charges in the United States and El Salvador, The Associated Press reported.

The leader of the American group, Laura Silsby, and Charisa Coulter will not be released from the Port-au-Prince jail, authorities said, pending further investigation.