Irish Missionary and Child Among Nine Abducted from Haitian Orphanage

Wed Oct 22 2025 20:46:22 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

The kidnapping of an Irish missionary and a three-year-old child highlights the escalating crisis of gang violence in Haiti, affecting vulnerable communities.

Gena Heraty and eight others were taken from the Sainte-Hélène orphanage near Port-au-Prince in a planned gang attack. This incident is one of many as Haiti faces rampant gang violence, resulting in a significant rise in kidnappings and internal displacement.

Nine individuals, including an Irish missionary and a toddler, were abducted from an orphanage in Kenscoff, a suburb of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, during a brazen attack early Sunday morning. Gena Heraty, director of the privately-operated Sainte-Hélène orphanage, along with seven staff members and a three-year-old child, became victims of this alarming incident. Mayor Massillon Jean described the attack as a "planned act," noting that assailants entered by breaching a wall without firing shots.

Ms. Heraty, who has dedicated nearly three decades to humanitarian efforts in Haiti, reached out to her organization, Our Little Brothers and Sisters, to confirm the incident. To date, there have been no ransom demands. Officials from Ireland's foreign affairs department are coordinating consular support for the situation.

Haiti continues to grapple with pervasive gang violence that has rendered much of Port-au-Prince unsafe, with criminal groups controlling approximately 85% of the city's geographic area. In light of this, the country's police, aided by foreign forces, have struggled to regain control and displace gangs from their entrenched positions. Recent statistics from the UN illustrate that gang warfare has made conditions perilous; over one million people are currently internally displaced, with a substantial number of these being children.

Since early 2025, the commune of Kenscoff has been a frequent target of gang incursions, which have increased dramatically. This uptick in violence aligns with other reported incidents, such as the July kidnapping of six UNICEF employees. The severity of the crisis has spurred calls from international organizations for increased protection and assistance to affected families, who are often confined to makeshift shelters with limited access to essential services.

With the number of kidnappings and violent deaths skyrocketing, the UN has emphasized the urgent need for stabilization efforts to prevent further deterioration of living conditions in Haiti. Gena Heraty's commitment to the children of Haiti remains steadfast, as she stated last year, "The children are why I'm still here. We’re in this together."