Jailed Baptist Leader Speaks Out

(CBS)  The leader of 10 U.S. Baptist missionaries charged in Haiti with child kidnapping maintained the group's innocence and said they face "a very challenging and confusing legal process here," during an exclusive jail cell interview with CBS News.

"We have in no way wanted to disrespect the Haitian government," Laura Silsby told CBS News correspondent Bill Whitaker. "We have tried our best to comply with all that they have asked us to do. We have faced a very challenging and confusing legal process here."

The missionaries, consisting mostly of members from two Idaho churches, face kidnapping charges for trying to take 33 children out of the country without proper documentation. While the group's stated mission was to rescue abandoned children and orphans, at least 22 of the children had parents.

Who is Laura Silsby?
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Each member of the group has been charged with one count of kidnapping, which could result in in five to 15 years in prison. They also face charges of criminal association, which carry three- to nine-year sentence.

After seven days in jail, they haven't been able to call their families in the U.S. even once, reports Whitaker.

"We have not in any way trafficked or kidnapped children. We came here out of love in our hearts for these children and have done our best to help them," Silsby said. "Once we were asked at the border to provide an additional piece of paperwork for the Haitian government, we willingly complied.

"I was willing to come back the very next morning at 6:00 a.m. to complete it and the children were going to remain there until I returned. But instead, they came with [an] armed guard and took us to the police station for interrogation and held us on charges … on false charges."

Phillip Snyder, a Michigan aid volunteer who delivers food and water to the Americans in jail, said the group is trying to stay upbeat.

"But they're very confused about issues such as Haitian law and why their attorney, who's been appointed to them, doesn't speak English," he said.

Only CBS News caught the Americans arriving at court Friday. Behind closed doors, a Haitian judge questioned them one by one. Outside, their lawyer, Edwin Coq, admitted communicating is difficult.

"I understand a little English, but I don't speak any English," Coq said in Creole.

Silsby calls the whole process confusing.

"Our hearts are heavy, because we know we have not done what is being charged against us and we just want … the truth to be revealed."

[bearsfaninoh]

they should not be tried in Haiti, but brought back to the States, they are Americans. Even if you disagree with what they have done, they are Americans and we should bring them home! Haiti can't take care of itself right now, how are they going to take care of 10 citizens of the United States?

Bring them home where they can go before a judge that speaks English and we will take care of it here...end of story

[45ford]

It's interesting that a member of the group slipped a scribbled note to an American news producer and reporter who were allowed with visit them in jail without cameras. The note is signed by 8 of the 10 people in the group, which interestingly reads, "Laura wants to control - We believe lying. We're afraid." The note goes on to convey that the group was deceived by Laura into believing she had the documentation in-hand and it was legal. Since their arrest, the group has learned that the documentation never existed. The note is signed by 8 of the 10. Laura Silsby and Chrisa Coulter, Laura's good friend who is part of the group -- neither of them signed the note.

If this isn't a ploy to get a majority of the group released, the situation is turning as I suspected it would with most of the group turning on the main perpetrators. Now it seems Laura and Charisa are quickly finding themselves on the outs with the rest of the group and more isolated than ever before.

[cthrasher1-2009]

The administration continues to look weak...as they get slapped in the face by Haiti. The world is laughing at the disrespect Haiti is showing the administration. Want your respect back? 2010 and 2012....vote for American power not these little wimps who care nothing about the citizens who put them there.

[45ford]

jankebenzone... classic know-it-all and right-wing nut too; stick close to your sippy cup of tainted Koolaid.

[45ford]

cuckoo

[msimamaji]

What was the "game plan" so to speak?
Did Silsby and her crew of "do-gooders" actually have enough loving, carefully screened adoptive parents in America? How many of these parents were fluent in French and Creole? Or was Silsby planning to put the 33 children in an orphanage somewhere in the Domincan Republic in hopes that they would be adopted?
In any rate, it's apparent that neither Silsby nor any of her "saints" could speak a word French or Creole, so how were they planning to communicate to 33 frightened, confused, disoriented, and in some cases, severely traumatized children? I am sick and tired of this story. They deserve to be prosecuted either in Haiti or state-side?
It's obvious that Silsby and her crew were not interested in the children of Haiti. They viewed the children they were going to "rescue" as some sort of exotic pet. They were just interested in free publicity.
PS. By the way, there are thousands of children in foster care in the United States, including children with special needs. Why does Silsby and her crew of do gooders adopt these children?

[Former_Marine_Sgt]

jankebenzone -

The stories I've been reading have been saying that this woman has been trying to create a large orphanage in Idaho with children from all around the world. That and other details in the many, many stories lead many of us to beleive that her ultimate goal was to take this group of children into the US after she got them into the DR.

This woman and the others have no clue what they are doing within the legal system down there and don't appear to have tried to follow ANY rules while they were doing this. Getting an orphanage manager to say ok to taking them out of the country is NOT enough permission in ANY country. If they can't take the time do learn the rules - they don't need to be there trying to take kids out of country. AT ALL.

[jankebenzone]

by WitchBroom February 6, 2010 3:19 PM EST
Oh so pleading ignorance to the laws and or placing blame on someone else for your own actions is somehow acceptable? Talk about irresponsible nonsense.
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What you are saying on this board is indeed "irresponsible nonsense"
As I have said to others here, Post only when you know what you are talking about before spewing forth your venomous blather. Now hop on your mode of transportation and cackle somewhere else.

[bobnjersey]

[As I have said to others here, Post only when you know what you are talking about before spewing forth your venomous blather. Now hop on your mode of transportation and cackle somewhere else.]

amazing!

what are you posting ... what you 'know' ... or what you 'believe'?

[obbbl]

Well if they keep the people who went there on their own dime to help out victims of the tragic earthquake, who's parents either abandoned them or aren't alive anymore in prison, then I say we quit sending aid. The United States has a responsibility to protect it's citizens, and these people were on a mission of mercy. The corrupt Haiti government probably just wants money.

[jankebenzone]

by bobnjersey February 6, 2010 2:31 PM EST
what's the reason for the church torturing and murdering heretics? does the bible refer to that?
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Amother poster who just has to make an accusation without knowing what there're talking about. Look up the word heretic, then study the history of the catholic church, then reread the story and tell us who murdered whom. It would make the world such a better place if people would/could think, and know what there're talking about, before yelling,accusing and joining the lynch mob . Of course that would entail not belonging to the biblical version of a fool.

[petesis]

I guess christians are rewriting even the Inquisition nowadays. Those heretics throwing themselves into those torture devices to make the christians look bad.

[bobnjersey]

[Amother poster who just has to make an accusation without knowing what there're talking about. Look up the word heretic, then study the history of the catholic church, then reread the story and tell us who murdered whom.]

so ... as expected ... with your compete inability to deal with rational thought ... you deny and avoid the issue. you attempt to disparage and discount anyone else's view ... insisting they are wrong ... they are uninformed ... and the truth is just the opposite of what they say.

which version of the catholic church's history should i study ... your's ... or the actual one?

your complete inability to face reality is completely expected ... well documented ... and supported with decades of research.

http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~altemey/

[tbird6740]

WHOA!!!!! The WSJ's article from 2/6:

"Ms. Silsby had equally grand ambitions closer to home, according to a local builder. The Idaho plan called for a "multi-million-dollar complex" for runaway children on a 40-acre lot in Kuna, Idaho, according to Eric Evans, owner of Eric Evans Construction in Meridian. Ms. Silsby told him it would have an indoor swimming pool, tennis courts and dormitories for the children, said Mr. Evans, adding that she had discussed having him build the project. Ms. Silsby's mother said she had never heard of any such plan."

THe Idaho Statesman from 2/5:
"A RUNAWAY HOME IN KUNA?

Eric Evans wants to make one thing clear: He is not building a multimillion-dollar complex for runaway children on a 40-acre lot in Kuna for Silsby as reported in the Wall Street Journal Friday.

Evans has been deluged by reporters wanting to know more about the Kuna project, which he had never heard of until Friday. He said he did talk to the Journal and did not know where the information about the Kuna home came from. Kuna City Planner Steve Hasson also has not heard of any such project.

Evans met Silsby a couple of years ago when he sold her a house in Meridian. He has not worked with her on any other projects since then, Evans said."

I'll say it AGAIN!!!! Laura Silsby got information that opening up a children's home was a way to make ALOT OF $$$$$$! Now they are trying to cover this up! Somebody needs to look further into this and see if she has any association with or knows anything about the New Bethany Homes (arcadai, La.) or the Roloff homes. Something in this woodpile sure is stinking!

[tbird6740]

sorry. i got the article dates wrong. HOW COME CBS ISN'T COVERIUNG THIS??????

[jankebenzone]

by texas_liberal February 6, 2010 1:24 PM EST
i dont believe atheists were ever mentioned in the bible.
nice try at revisionist 2.0-
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Your statement is ,like so many others here, blatantly made without knowing what you are talking about. The bible does mention the atheist (God deniers/rebels) many times over as a matter of fact.Your try at making an attempt at intelligence was a dismal failure.