Yesterday, a judge in Haiti ordered the immediate release of 8 of the 10 American Missionaries accused of kidnapping children, while retaining 2 of the Missionaries for further questioning.
Laura Silsby and Charisa Coulter were being kept for further questioning, said investigating Judge Bernard Sainvil. Silsby has long been seen as the “ring leader” of the group that traveled to the Caribbean nation supposedly to help orphaned Haitian children. Judge Sainvil wants to further investigate what Silsby and Coulter were doing in Haiti even before the earthquake hit, since their story has always been that they traveled to Haiti merely to help children orphaned after the earthquake hit.
The release of the 8 other Americans is unprecedented in Haiti, since the crime of kidnapping on the island nation normally mandates imprisonment without bail. But the judge ruled many of the others held were operating blindly at the direction of group leader Silsby, with one believing he had traveled to Haiti to utilize his construction skills to help the nation rebuild.
It is still unclear if the Missionaries will be forced to return to the island for trial, or if their charges are being permanently dropped. But the Americans did not wait around to find out, as their attorney arranged for them to drive last night to the neighboring Dominican Republic for a flight back to their relieved loved ones in Idaho.
I'm still curious about the Silsby lady and her real motives. Something about her doesn't seem trusting. But if the others are innocent I'm glad their back with their families.