The thirty-three Haitian children who were nearly taken out of the country by a group of Americans remain under the care of SOS Children's Village, an international child protection organization. Authorities are trying to decide the fate of these children, ranging in age from three months to twelve years.

 

[George Willeit, Spokesman, SOS Children’s Village]:

"The children feel much better here because here they can be safe and secure — they are getting the attention that they need, some of them are even getting psychological treatment. We are in contact with some of the parents, but the parents issue has to be clarified from the social welfare system in Haiti because we have to be sure of the reasons why the kids were on this bus. Did the parents give them away? Did they receive something for that? And then the Haitian government has to decide if we are — if SOS Children's Villages — is allowed to give the children back to their parents, because we don't want to run into the risk that we gave them back today and tomorrow they are sitting on another bus going to the Dominican Republic." 

 

Further complications recently arose after some women claimed to be the mothers of some of the children. SOS Children’s Village said women claiming to be parents have not, and would not be allowed to see the children until the relationship had been confirmed. 

 

The children have been living in the international child protection organization since Saturday. Haiti's Social Ministry turned them over after the police arrested ten Americans accused of illegally trying to take the children out of Haiti. 

 

[George Willeit, Spokesman, SOS Children’s Village]:

"Some of the children are telling us they were promised to go to a boarding school in the Dominican Republic. Some of the children even did not know what's going on with them, where they are supposed to go.  And some of the children realized that their parents have given them away." 

 

The Americans were identified as Baptist missionaries who insisted that they were only trying to help vulnerable orphans left destitute by the January 12 earthquake. They denied charges of engaging in child trafficking. The Americans are currently detained in the Haitian police headquarters.

 

The children are being closely monitored and provided with emotional support as authorities proceed with the investigation.