Human Predators Stalk Haiti's Vulnerable Kids

[Missizzy]

If this video was previously linked, please forgive me and I'll remove this post. I had not watched it. This is video shot of the children and the Baptist group just after they were detained at the border. It is heart wrenching as the children are clearly terrified and confused. Remember, the children speak Creole, the Dominicans speak Spanish, and I've read that the Baptist only speak a tiny bit of Creole. These children are not only crying and begging for help but they are not being understood!!

There's also video from presumably later the same day of an interrogation of the group. The children, once again, are clearly exhausted and frightened. On a purely personal level, this video leaves me livid.

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=6185844n&tag=related;photovideo

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/02/08/world/main6185551.shtml


I've spent my entire adult life working with traumatized children and every single thing I see in this video in absolutely contra-indicated under the circumstances. I don't even know where to begin. These people have NO idea how they are traumatizing those children. You don't hold a child close. You don't turn a child towards your body. You don't get into the child's space. You allow the children to approach you and if they won't they are to be allowed contact with one another. The Baptists show almost total disregard for the little ones in their arms. They are far too concerned with watching their own butts.

These are not puppy mill puppies without hearts or minds. Heck, puppy rescuers would look at this video and become physically sick. My Lord, I rarely get this worked up. Maybe it's a good thing I hadn't seen this video before as I wouldn't have been able to even look at this thread. Adoption workers and trauma specialists around the world will use this video as a lesson in "what not to do for traumatized children" for decades.

 

[i.b.nora]

By the time of the February 3rd AP article on John Requa and the other two, we know that John was already home. So, he didn't seem to stick around very long to help.
His wife writes on her Facebook, in answer to a friend asking if John is back home now? She says:

"yes he is home, we have been told to stay off of facebook
February 3 at 11:36am"

 

[i.b.nora]

Haiti to free eight U.S. missionaries, hold two

Reuters

PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) - A Haitian judge said he would order the release on Wednesday of eight of 10 American missionaries accused of kidnapping children, while the remaining two would be held for further questioning.

Laura Silsby, the leader of the group, and Charisa Coulter, were being kept for further investigation, said investigating Judge Bernard Sainvil.

 

[Missizzy]

I.b.nora--I still wonder why they went down there, with everything that had already happened.

Trying to stay up on the DR forum and Haitivox, I've noted a few things.

A snip from:

http://www.haitivox.com/2010/02/sat-update-info-below-links-salvadoran.html

"Still, the important question remains: How or WHY and via WHO did Puello, (aka Orellana, a wanted sex trafficker), reach out to Drew Ham in Meridien, Idaho, to offer his services? He initially offered free services, but later, money was wired,so there is some financial incentive, one could argue.

But why would a man hunted by Interpol risk global scrutiny and possible exposure by putting himself in the middle of an internationally controversial affair?

If Puello/Orellana has evaded arrest this long, he can't be that naive or stupid. Clearly concern for children or Haiti is not the reason. It suggests some other motivation. A possible prior connection? That's what many people assume. It all appears just too odd - too fraught - to be a random coincidence. Particularly if Silsby was working for eight months with Dominican realtors to set up her orphanage project there.

And on the DR forum, a snip from the commenter, Lambada, today:

http://www.dr1.com/forums/haiti-earthquake/100199-who-can-stop-tragedy-30.html

"Certainly Silsby's nanny was in the DR last summer and taking pictures of Batey Cuchilla which is in Bahoruco - most residents of Batey Cuchilla are grandchildren or children of Haitian immigrants who came to work in the sugarcane fields, or were born in Haiti themselves. Could have been a tourist trip or could have been looking at 'poor' children who might be offered for an orphanage."

This is in reference to the link i.b.nora posted with Coulter's photos from last summer.

and

"But why would the missionaries need Puello to deliver food and medicine to them when 3 of their group remained in the DR & didn't go to Haiti?"


Exactly my question!! Someone else asks the question as to why the Baptists would need Puello or why Puello would think the Baptists needed him as medicine, food and clothing had already been arranged for the detainees. And why would a man masquerading as an attorney from the DR, even offer his services? Do they have cross-border courtesies concerning legal representation? A moot point as we know Puello is NOT an attorney. I wonder what he actually told the Haitian guards when he went in to talk to Silsby. What did he tell the Idaho family members?

IMO, these posters in the DR seem to be of a mind that there's most likely some sort of connection between Silsby/Coulter/Puello/Chenvert. They just have no proof of it yet. Neither do I but I'm not giving up.

 

[Missizzy]

Don't tell me, let me guess which two they're keeping.

Yep, I was right. Shocking.

 

[i.b.nora]

From the CBS video that Izzy posted:

 

[i.b.nora]

A more complete Reuters article:

http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=2577171

 

[Melly53]

Remember when Jorge Puello told the reporters, especially Karl Penhaul from CNN that he had a document that would prove the Baptists innocent?

Well, I cannot tell you how I got a copy of it, but here it is:

Is anyone here able to translate this? I have part of it but can't figure it all out. I can't find a translation for the alcohol part.

Permission is given for Miss Laura Sander Silsby and his band/crew/gang of nine to ________ so many children from Haiti to the Dominican Republic as they can. Jorger- God sent me.

Also I find the signature quite interesting.

 

[i.b.nora]

CNN has just gone to commercial, but they are covering the breaking story and will continue. I guess they are going to talk to some Baptists in Idaho.

 

[pinkpuddytat]

One thing that has always concerned me is that Silsby and her group weren't even skilled at doing this and thus probably wouldn't have been able to pull it off. seen it.

I've never been fully convinced that Silsby ever really intended to set up this orphanage/adoption mall, until the earthquake came along and forced her to take concrete action on the plan she'd been touting for at least a year. It's pretty clear she'd been living off the donations, and she may have intended to keep on doing that, and perhaps eventually make some excuse that legal technicalities, corrupt Dominican and/or Haitian officials, etc were making it impossible to set up the orphanage as planned, and tell donors she was going to use the money for some new scheme. At any rate, whatever her long term plans, she'd been living off the donation flow, and it was about to come to a grinding halt because of the earthquake, and donors' desire to direct their contributions to organizations that were in a position to help immediately. Thus Silsby hastily revised her "plan" into one that could swing into action immediately, and keep the donations flowing. She didn't have a lot of time to think it through.

 

[pinkpuddytat]

IMO, these posters in the DR seem to be of a mind that there's most likely some sort of connection between Silsby/Coulter/Puello/Chenvert. They just have no proof of it yet. Neither do I but I'm not giving up.

I think so too. It just makes *absolutely* no sense for Jorge Whatshisname to get involved in this ultra high profile legal proceeding, unless he was already deeply involved in Silsby's scheme and felt the urgent need to try to control the situation. Possibly he was looking to get close enough to Silsby, Coulter and their jailers to arranged have the two of them killed to silence them. Between the ordinary corruption in Haiti and the extraordinary post-earthquake chaos, he might reasonably have figured he could get away with this. But I really think this case got *so* high profile, with the huge media coverage and Hillary and Bill Clinton and White House spokesman PJ Crowley speaking publicly about it, that word went through the Haitian corruption machine that *nothing* better happen to these jailed Americans, *or else*. In a less sinister scenario, Jorge may have assumed he could get them sprung very quickly by greasing a few palms, and make the attention go away before he was identified and pursued.

 

[Melly53]

snipped from Missizzy's post:

"Certainly Silsby's nanny was in the DR last summer and taking pictures of Batey Cuchilla which is in Bahoruco - most residents of Batey Cuchilla are grandchildren or children of Haitian immigrants who came to work in the sugarcane fields, or were born in Haiti themselves. Could have been a tourist trip or could have been looking at 'poor' children who might be offered for an orphanage."

I found this short film on Batey Cuchilla. It seems that there are many Haitian children there who do not have birth certificates.

http://current.com/items/91792151_jymenas-world.htm

 

[Melly53]

I've never been fully convinced that Silsby ever really intended to set up this orphanage/adoption mall, until the earthquake came along and forced her to take concrete action on the plan she'd been touting for at least a year. It's pretty clear she'd been living off the donations, and she may have intended to keep on doing that, and perhaps eventually make some excuse that legal technicalities, corrupt Dominican and/or Haitian officials, etc were making it impossible to set up the orphanage as planned, and tell donors she was going to use the money for some new scheme. At any rate, whatever her long term plans, she'd been living off the donation flow, and it was about to come to a grinding halt because of the earthquake, and donors' desire to direct their contributions to organizations that were in a position to help immediately. Thus Silsby hastily revised her "plan" into one that could swing into action immediately, and keep the donations flowing. She didn't have a lot of time to think it through.

Not sure that I agree with you assessment. Silsby did not have money to keep her car from being repossessed or her home from being foreclosed on which you think she would have done if she was diverting donations for her personal use. She may have used donated funds to cover the cost of her flight to the DR but we don't have any evidence of that.

I think she had every intention of setting up this orphanage as part of her future adoption scheme for money$$$. I think she pushed her plan ahead of schedule because of the potential for increased donations in light of the earthquake. Her willingness to seemingly circumvent Haitian law in her attempt to get children, as well has her unsuccessful attempt to get the 3 children that were already in the adoption process (against the explicit instruction of the adopting parents) makes me think that she had a desperate need to appear successful in her mission or to be seen as a hero/savior. It comes down to money and ego IMO.

 

[pinkpuddytat]

Not sure that I agree with you assessment. Silsby did not have money to keep her car from being repossessed or her home from being foreclosed on which you think she would have done if she was diverting donations for her personal use. She may have used donated funds to cover the cost of her flight to the DR but we don't have any evidence of that.

There's been blog chatter that some of the people who'd won wage claims against her started getting paid (at least partially) around the same time she started soliciting donations for this project. Just because she wasn't raking in enough to cover all of her past and current debts, doesn't mean she wasn't diverting as much as she could. If she didn't start making some payments on those judgements, she was likely to get hauled back into court on a contempt charge, and have the court order independent investigation of her finances.

Silsby had a HUGE backlog of debts, some to people/parties who'd already won court judgements and others to people who were on the verge of taking legal action. She could have been raking in and diverting $100,000 a month for the past year or more, and still not have been close to getting everything paid off. Plus she's apparently had no other source of income during this period, so how has she been paying for food, gas, etc. Check out the state of her "business" -- it was impossible to order anything from it, because no matter which of the many items shown on the website you clicked on (including expensive jewelry), what came up was always the same cheap plush dog toy.

 

[tai]

I know that name. John and Helen Requa are frequently mentioned throughout the Eastside Baptist Church newletters of 2009. They were listed as asking for clothing and toy donations for their planned missionary trip to the Ukraine. I guess they could have changed their minds at the last minute and changed their plan from the Ukraine to Haiti but that still seems a bit odd.

http://www.esbctwinfalls.com/clientimages/24453/pdffiles/may2009.pdf


"In September 2009 John & Helen Requa will be traveling to the Ukraine. They
would like to take toys and other items to Daryl for the children at Christmas.
There will be a box in the foyer for collection of the toys and other items.
SSSSWe need these items by September 10th We need these items by September 10th We need these items by September 10th We need these items by September 10th

Suggested Items:Small Stuffed Animals, Beanie Babies, Hot Wheel Cars, and Balls
Variety of Small Toys, Hair Brushes/Comb/Barrettes/Headbands/ClipsHair Brushes/Comb/Barrettes/Headbands/ClipsHair, Pencils (with designs), Small Dolls, Action Heroes, Toothbrushes (these seem to be the kids favorite things).

We will not fill small boxes this year since Daryl does not get enough to do both
hospitals. This may be his last year at Chernobyl unless there are some changes
made. There is a threat the hospital may be closed. Your help is very much
appreciated. May God bless all of you, John & Helen Requa."

Hi everyone! Noob here. I've been a long time lurker on the forums and have been following this story with interest since the beginning. I felt compelled to join to comment on something I found odd in the above church appeal. I don't know if it is any way connected to the current case. "Last year at Chernobyl"??? Chernobyl was evacuated in 1986 and remains within the zone of exclusion around the site of the explosion. Only about 200 people moved back and most of them are elderly. If their mission includes hospitals within Ukraine, this:http://www.metiviergallery.com/artist_artwork.php?artist=polidori&artwork=pripyat_hospital_lobby_126 is not one of them and I don't know why they would mention it in their newsletter.

 

[Missizzy]

You know what I'm sensing, posters? I think we actually have a better grasp on what Silsby's true motives/plans were than she does. I think she's extremely confused at this point and probably mentally and physically exhausted.

Whatever the plan originally was, it isn't any more. Everything has collapsed around her ears. I think she truly believed that greasing palms and playing the sweet Idaho Baptist gal would get her far. She didn't take into consideration that she's playing with a country sorely without leadership and with only a mishmash of structure (she messed with a sleeping lion). And she stole babies.

When I watch her on video with the Haitians lecturing her, I see a 13 year old teen being lectured for some infraction by her vice principal while she's remaining coy and slightly contrite. She really doesn't get how serious this is. She doesn't get how ticked the Haitians are. I think she's honestly shocked that her plan isn't working.

This is all going to boil down to intent and motive and spin. We're all right in many ways and we've also gotten some of it wrong. But I think we're closer to the truth than Silsby is.

 

[Missizzy]

Welcome tai!! Glad to have you. And what a great tidbit you bring as you join in. I'd wondered about that fact myself as Ukrainian adoptions have certainly been changing in the past two years. If you go back and read the newsletters on the Eastside Baptist church site, that particular mission is talked about all year. There is discussion which makes this not sound like the first mission to the Ukraine. I don't see any comment that the Requas actually left on their mission, though. They might have gone to Haiti instead. One would wonder, though if there's only elders left in Chernobyl, why they would need all the toys and Hot Wheels.

Maybe, the stuffed toys which show up on the Personal Shopper site are the ones Silsby took to Haiti to hand out (and snatch back?).

Anyway, see what else you can learn, tai, and let us know. Welcome!!

 

[i.b.nora]

Haiti judge frees 8 of 10 American missionaries

By FRANK BAJAK (AP)

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Eight American missionaries charged with child kidnapping have been freed from a Haitian jail.

The group, looking bedraggled and sweat-soaked, walked out of the Haitian jail just after dusk Wednesday.

Escorted by US diplomats, they were taken to an American field hospital inside the airport. Once they were safely inside a transport vehicle they flashed smiles and gave a thumbs up.

Their attorney says they are flying out Wednesday night.

 

[Missizzy]

Tai--After looking at the photos of the hospitals and general destruction of Chernobyl, I have some questions. I don't know the Ukraine and would appreciate you expounding on this.

Are you saying that there is actually NO hospital in Chernobyl which this couple could be taking gifts to? If this is true, I'm hopeful that the media is reading our posts and will break this news to the good and generous people of Eastside Baptist.

FWIW, weren't these photos shown in a National Geographic a few years ago--or some very similar. They are so haunting and I know I've seen them before.

On a personal note, the father of a certain rapist who impacted my family is a doctor. The dad makes humanitarian visits to the Ukraine to assist with fitting eyeglasses. I've always been highly suspicious of this activity.

Thank you for bringing this to our attention.

 

[Missizzy]

I have no doubt that Interpol is going to be sitting down for a chit chat with Silsby shortly. If she gives up some dirt on Jorge and possibly Chenvert, we might be able to get to the bottom of this mess. I'd really like to follow this all the way up the chain.

I know if this happens, though, that Silsby will canonize herself as the whole scheme was God-appointed to catch the "real" bad guys.