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Adoptive Mother Questioned in Haiti, Children Detained
Eight of the 10 Americans jailed in Haiti for trying to take children across the border illegally have been freed. But their case has raised awareness about the serious issue of child trafficking in Haiti, and it’s having an affect on other people trying to move children out of the country legally.
Sarah Thacker, an adoptive mother from Minnesota, was in Haiti bringing home her adopted son, as well as five other children traveling to their adoptive families. Unlike Laura Silsby, Thacker had both correct and legal documents. But at the airport, Thacker and her volunteers found themselves surrounded by a group of angry men.
“They started screaming at us that they are Haitian children, and who do we think we are taking their kids from their country, and these missionaries can’t be stealing kids, and they started swearing and yelling at us,” volunteer Stephanie Anderson told CNN.
Authorities claimed Thacker’s documents were forged, an allegation she vehemently denies. “I can understand paranoia and absolutely, and I understand there was a story about people illegally taking children out of the country, but fear doesn’t justify these actions,” said Anderson.
After being detained for eight hours, the women were released, but the children are in the custody of the Haitian government.
When Laura Silsby and her group claim that they were “only trying to help” and that their actions didn’t cause anyone any harm, they need to take a hard look at Thacker’s situation — a mother detained for trying to take her legally adopted child home with her.
Photo: DVIDSHUB, Flickr
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