American nurse and her child kidnapped in Haiti have been released, organization says

An American nurse and her child were released nearly two weeks after they were kidnapped in Haiti, a nonprofit connected to the woman said Wednesday.

"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, Haiti," the group said in a message on its website. "Today we are praising God for answered prayer!"

Dorsainvil, a community health nurse married to the group's founder and director, Sandro Dorsainvil, and the pair’s child, were kidnapped last month from the group's location near Port-au-Prince.

The mother and child were serving in the community ministry when they were taken, the organization had said. The State Department said at the time that it was aware of reports of a kidnapping and was in contact with Haitian authorities.

The State Department said Wednesday: "Out of respect for their privacy, we will allow individuals to speak for themselves if and when they feel ready. As you can imagine, these individuals have been through a very difficult ordeal, both physically and mentally."

"We express our deepest appreciation to our Haitian, and U.S. interagency partners for their assistance in facilitating their safe release," the agency continued.

El Roi Haiti, said there is still "much to process and to heal from" and asked for privacy for the family.

"We will continue to release information as appropriate on our website. Please keep checking back," the group said. "And again, thanks for all of the prayers and support through this incredibly difficult time."

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Dorsainvil, from New Hampshire, was asked to provide nursing to students at the organization's school, she said in a Vimeo video posted three years ago. El Roi Haiti, a Christian organization, provides education to about 390 students and hosts other ministries, according to its website.

The pair were kidnapped the same day the State Department ordered nonemergency U.S. government employees and families to leave Haiti "due to kidnapping, crime, civil unrest, and poor health care infrastructure."

The country, which has been ravaged this century by two devastating earthquakes, has struggled to recover from the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021.

A United Nations report in June said that gangs had taken over a vast majority of Port au Prince’s street geography, prompting more than 165,00 Haitians to abandon their homeland. Some Haitians seeking refuge have camped out next to the U.S. Embassy in Port au Prince.