New Life Children’s Refuge case
Encyclopedia
The New Life Children’s Refuge case was a legal case about an incident which occurred in the chaotic aftermath of the January 12th 2010 Haiti earthquake
. On January 29, 2010, a group of ten American Baptist
missionaries
from Idaho
attempted to cross the Haiti-Dominican Republic
border with 33 Haitian children. The group, known as the New Life Children’s Refuge
, did not have proper authorization for transporting the children and were arrested on child trafficking charges. The missionaries denied any wrongdoing and claimed that they were rescuing orphans and leading them to a Dominican hotel which was being transformed into an orphanage. Nine of the ten missionaries were later released but NLCR founder Laura Silsby remained incarcerated in Haiti. Her trial began on May 13 and the prosecution sought a 6-month prison term. On May 17, she was found guilty and sentenced to the time served in jail prior to the trial.
. The organization described itself as a "non‐profit Christian ministry dedicated to rescuing, loving and caring for orphaned, abandoned and impoverished Haitian and Dominican children, demonstrating God’s love and helping each child find healing, hope, joy and new life in Christ." The charity claimed to be in the process of acquiring land to build an orphanage as well as a church and school in Magante
on the Northern coast of the Dominican Republic
. NLCR further intended to provide adoption opportunities for American "loving Christian parents". On January 12, 2010, Haiti was struck by a major earthquake
and NLCR quickly formed the "Haitian Orphan Rescue Mission", a group of ten people from the Central Valley Baptist Church and the East Side Baptist Church in Twin Falls, Idaho
. Both churches are affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention
. The mission's plan was to go to Haiti and bring a hundred orphans to Cabarete
, Dominican Republic, where NLCR had leased a hotel to serve as a temporary orphanage.
Undeterred the group set out to collect orphans from the devastated town of Calebasse (or Callabas) and from the slum of Le Citron in Port-au-Prince
.
33 children (20 from Calebasse and 13 from Le Citron) were put under the mission's care. On the night of January 29, the missionaries were arrested while trying to cross the Dominican border without proper authorization. They denied any wrongdoing and maintained that they were doing God's will by helping orphaned victims of the quake.
The children were sent to the SOS Children's Village orphanage in Croix-des-Bouquets
, a suburb of Port-au-Prince, and it became clear that most (if not all) of them were not orphans. NLCR missionaries maintained that they were told that the children were orphaned. In turn, people in Calebasse and SOS Children's Villages accused the missionaries of lying about their intentions. Although the children's relatives were told that they would be able to visit them and eventually take them back, the NLCR's mission statement clearly outlined plans for adoption.
On February 4, the ten Baptist
s were formally charged with criminal association
and kidnapping
for trying to smuggle 33 children out of Haiti.
In an interview, the United States Ambassador to Haiti
Kenneth Merten, stated that the U.S. justice system would not interfere and added "the Haitian justice system will do what it has to do."
On February 17, eight of the ten members of the NLCR team were released by Haitian judge Bernard Saint-Vil. They were immediately flown back to Miami on a US Air Force
transport plane. Laura Silsby and Charisa Coulter, were held over for more questioning. On March 8 Coulter was also released, but Silsby remained incarcerated.
The charges against Silsby were eventually reduced from conspiracy and child abduction to "arranging irregular travel". Her trial began on May 13, and prosecutors asked for a 6-month prison sentence, arguing that Silsby was fully aware that she did not have proper authorization to take the children out of the country. On May 17, she was found guilty and sentenced to the time served in jail prior to the trial.
In early March of 2010, her attorney in these cases filed a motion to withdraw as her counsel. Another lawyer who represented Silsby in a child custody
case also withdrew as her attorney.
Silsby faces civil lawsuits for fraud, wrongful termination and unpaid wages mostly related to Personal Shopper, an Internet company that she founded in 1999 with James Hammons. Silsby and Hammons worked together at Hewlett-Packard
.
and wanted in the United States for smuggling people across the Canadian border. Puello was incarcerated for short terms in both Canada and the US.
He was arrested in the Dominican Republic on March 18. On August 18, 2010, the Dominican Supreme Court authorized Puello's extradition to the United States.
2010 Haiti earthquake
The 2010 Haiti earthquake was a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake, with an epicentre near the town of Léogâne, approximately west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. The earthquake occurred at 16:53 local time on Tuesday, 12 January 2010.By 24 January, at least 52 aftershocks...
. On January 29, 2010, a group of ten American Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
missionaries
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
from Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
attempted to cross the Haiti-Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
border with 33 Haitian children. The group, known as the New Life Children’s Refuge
, did not have proper authorization for transporting the children and were arrested on child trafficking charges. The missionaries denied any wrongdoing and claimed that they were rescuing orphans and leading them to a Dominican hotel which was being transformed into an orphanage. Nine of the ten missionaries were later released but NLCR founder Laura Silsby remained incarcerated in Haiti. Her trial began on May 13 and the prosecution sought a 6-month prison term. On May 17, she was found guilty and sentenced to the time served in jail prior to the trial.
New Life Children’s Refuge
The New Life Children’s Refuge (NLCR) was founded in November 2009 by Laura Silsby and Charisa Coulter, who are both members of the Central Valley Baptist Church in Meridian, IdahoMeridian, Idaho
-History:The town was established in 1891 on the Onweiler farm north of the present site and was called Hunter. Two years later an I.O.O.F. lodge was organized and called itself Meridian because it was located on the Boise Meridian and the town was renamed...
. The organization described itself as a "non‐profit Christian ministry dedicated to rescuing, loving and caring for orphaned, abandoned and impoverished Haitian and Dominican children, demonstrating God’s love and helping each child find healing, hope, joy and new life in Christ." The charity claimed to be in the process of acquiring land to build an orphanage as well as a church and school in Magante
Villa Magante
Villa Magante, created in 2006 by the national congress, is the fastest growing municipal district in Espaillat Province in the Dominican Republic with favorable economic projections in all sectors but especially in livestock and tourism....
on the Northern coast of the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
. NLCR further intended to provide adoption opportunities for American "loving Christian parents". On January 12, 2010, Haiti was struck by a major earthquake
2010 Haiti earthquake
The 2010 Haiti earthquake was a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake, with an epicentre near the town of Léogâne, approximately west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. The earthquake occurred at 16:53 local time on Tuesday, 12 January 2010.By 24 January, at least 52 aftershocks...
and NLCR quickly formed the "Haitian Orphan Rescue Mission", a group of ten people from the Central Valley Baptist Church and the East Side Baptist Church in Twin Falls, Idaho
Twin Falls, Idaho
Twin Falls is the county seat and largest city of Twin Falls County, Idaho, United States. The population was 44,125 at the 2010 censusTwin Falls is the largest city of Idaho's Magic Valley region...
. Both churches are affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention
Southern Baptist Convention
The Southern Baptist Convention is a United States-based Christian denomination. It is the world's largest Baptist denomination and the largest Protestant body in the United States, with over 16 million members...
. The mission's plan was to go to Haiti and bring a hundred orphans to Cabarete
Cabarete
Cabarete is a town in the Puerto Plata province of the Dominican Republic, noted for its tourism and beaches. It was founded in 1835 by Zephaniah Kingsley along with his mixed-race family, and 53 slaves he freed from his Florida plantations and brought here while the island was under Haitian...
, Dominican Republic, where NLCR had leased a hotel to serve as a temporary orphanage.
Timeline of events
The ten missionaries, led by Silsby, flew to the Dominican Republic on January 22, chartered a bus, and arrived in Haiti on January 25. American journalist Anne-Christine d'Adesky claims that she met Silsby the day before the missionaries' entry into Haiti. The NLCR's leader explained that she had a letter from Dominican officials authorizing the transfer of orphans to the hotel in Cabarete. D'Adesky warned Silsby that she also required proper paperwork from Haitian authorities. On January 26, the group gathered forty children and set off for the Dominican Republic. They were stopped by a policeman, who explained that their actions were illegal.Undeterred the group set out to collect orphans from the devastated town of Calebasse (or Callabas) and from the slum of Le Citron in Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince is the capital and largest city of the Caribbean nation of Haiti. The city's population was 704,776 as of the 2003 census, and was officially estimated to have reached 897,859 in 2009....
.
33 children (20 from Calebasse and 13 from Le Citron) were put under the mission's care. On the night of January 29, the missionaries were arrested while trying to cross the Dominican border without proper authorization. They denied any wrongdoing and maintained that they were doing God's will by helping orphaned victims of the quake.
The children were sent to the SOS Children's Village orphanage in Croix-des-Bouquets
Croix-des-Bouquets
Croix-des-Bouquets is a city in the Ouest Department of Haiti. It is located to the northeast of Haiti's capital city, Port-au-Prince. Originally located on the shore, it was relocated inland after the 1770 Port-au-Prince earthquake. Due to this fact, it was not as badly affected in the 2010...
, a suburb of Port-au-Prince, and it became clear that most (if not all) of them were not orphans. NLCR missionaries maintained that they were told that the children were orphaned. In turn, people in Calebasse and SOS Children's Villages accused the missionaries of lying about their intentions. Although the children's relatives were told that they would be able to visit them and eventually take them back, the NLCR's mission statement clearly outlined plans for adoption.
On February 4, the ten Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
s were formally charged with criminal association
Conspiracy (crime)
In the criminal law, a conspiracy is an agreement between two or more persons to break the law at some time in the future, and, in some cases, with at least one overt act in furtherance of that agreement...
and kidnapping
Kidnapping
In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority...
for trying to smuggle 33 children out of Haiti.
In an interview, the United States Ambassador to Haiti
United States Ambassador to Haiti
This is a list of United States Ambassadors to Haiti. The current ambassador is Kenneth H. Merten.-See also:*Haiti – United States relations*Foreign relations of Haiti*Ambassadors of the United States-References:*-External links:* * *...
Kenneth Merten, stated that the U.S. justice system would not interfere and added "the Haitian justice system will do what it has to do."
On February 17, eight of the ten members of the NLCR team were released by Haitian judge Bernard Saint-Vil. They were immediately flown back to Miami on a US Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
transport plane. Laura Silsby and Charisa Coulter, were held over for more questioning. On March 8 Coulter was also released, but Silsby remained incarcerated.
The charges against Silsby were eventually reduced from conspiracy and child abduction to "arranging irregular travel". Her trial began on May 13, and prosecutors asked for a 6-month prison sentence, arguing that Silsby was fully aware that she did not have proper authorization to take the children out of the country. On May 17, she was found guilty and sentenced to the time served in jail prior to the trial.
Laura Silsby
Laura Silsby founded the New Life Children’s Refuge and led the expedition in Haiti. Though she was freed after serving her sentence in Haiti, she also faces legal problems in Idaho.In early March of 2010, her attorney in these cases filed a motion to withdraw as her counsel. Another lawyer who represented Silsby in a child custody
Child custody
Child custody and guardianship are legal terms which are used to describe the legal and practical relationship between a parent and his or her child, such as the right of the parent to make decisions for the child, and the parent's duty to care for the child.Following ratification of the United...
case also withdrew as her attorney.
Silsby faces civil lawsuits for fraud, wrongful termination and unpaid wages mostly related to Personal Shopper, an Internet company that she founded in 1999 with James Hammons. Silsby and Hammons worked together at Hewlett-Packard
Hewlett-Packard
Hewlett-Packard Company or HP is an American multinational information technology corporation headquartered in Palo Alto, California, USA that provides products, technologies, softwares, solutions and services to consumers, small- and medium-sized businesses and large enterprises, including...
.
Jorge Puello
In the days following the group's initial arrest, Dominican Jorge Puello took on the role of legal advisor. Puello later acknowledged that he is under investigation for sex trafficking in El SalvadorEl Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
and wanted in the United States for smuggling people across the Canadian border. Puello was incarcerated for short terms in both Canada and the US.
He was arrested in the Dominican Republic on March 18. On August 18, 2010, the Dominican Supreme Court authorized Puello's extradition to the United States.