U.S. Baptists Return to Haiti Jail

The group of U.S. missionaries charged with child kidnapping in Haiti will face three more days of hearings after being denied provisional release Friday, reported lawyer Edwin Coq. Neither Haitian officials at the courthouse nor the charged Baptists answered questions from journalists, but Coq maintains the group (excluding leader Laura Silsby) was not aware they lacked proper adoption papers, and he said, "It is scandalous that they are being detained." Although Coq argued for provisional release—a type of bail without money—the judge denied the request, and will resume hearings Monday. Silsby claimed the children were from orphanages, but at least 22 of the children had family. Some of their parents told the Associated Press they willingly handed them over so the Americans could take care of them. Their lawyer is arguing all but Silsby are innocent.