Relief and gratitude swept across Ireland and Haiti late this week as Gena Heraty, a respected Irish missionary, and eight fellow captives were released nearly a month after being kidnapped from an orphanage near Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince. The harrowing ordeal, which began in the predawn hours of August 3, 2025, ended with the safe return of Heraty, a three-year-old child, and seven Haitian colleagues, as confirmed by officials and family members on Friday.
Heraty, originally from Westport in County Mayo, has dedicated more than three decades to Haiti, serving as the director of the special needs program at the Saint-Hélène orphanage, also known as Our Little Brothers and Sisters. The institution, run by the international charity Nos Petits Frères et Sœurs, cares for more than 240 children, many with disabilities, offering a rare haven in a country wracked by violence and instability. According to BBC News, Heraty’s family described themselves as “relieved beyond words” and expressed deep gratitude for the tireless efforts of those who worked to secure the captives’ freedom.
“We are so deeply grateful to everyone, in Haiti and internationally, who has worked tirelessly over these terrible weeks to help secure their safe return,” the family said in a statement quoted by the Associated Press. “We continue to hold Haiti in our hearts and hope for peace and safety for all those who are affected by the ongoing armed violence and insecurity there.”
The attack that led to the kidnapping was both targeted and violent. Armed gunmen, believed to be members of a local gang, broke through a wall surrounding the orphanage compound in Kenscoff, a hillside commune about 10 kilometers southeast of Port-au-Prince. The assailants reportedly headed straight for the building where Heraty and her colleagues were staying, taking nine hostages in the early hours of the morning. Local mayor Massillon Jean told Le Nouvelliste at the time that the operation appeared to be planned, and the attackers left with their captives before dawn.
Responsibility for the attack has not been officially claimed, but the area is controlled by a powerful gang federation known as Viv Ansanm (“Live Together”), which the United States designated as a foreign terrorist organization in 2025. According to the AP, Viv Ansanm is part of a network of criminal groups that have plunged Haiti into chaos since early 2024, following a coordinated uprising against the government. Armed groups now control about 85% of Port-au-Prince, according to UN figures cited by BBC News.
The kidnapping of Heraty and her team is just one episode in a much wider crisis. In the first half of 2025 alone, nearly 350 kidnappings were reported in Haiti, a staggering figure that underscores the country’s deepening instability. The United Nations has described the security situation as “extremely volatile,” and the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs strongly advises citizens not to travel to Haiti. “There are frequent clashes between gangs and security forces. Kidnappings, robberies, and violent crime are prevalent,” the department warns on its website.
International appeals for Heraty’s release poured in from across the globe, including from the charity that employs her and from Irish Prime Minister Michéal Martin. The family thanked Ireland’s deputy prime minister and foreign affairs minister, Simon Harris, and the Irish ambassador to the United States, Geraldine Byrne Nason, for their support during the ordeal. “The global outpouring of concern, love, prayers, and solidarity shown for Gena and to us by friends, neighbours, communities, colleagues, and indeed those with no connection to us at all has been a huge source of comfort and support,” the Heraty family said, as reported by BBC News.
Simon Harris confirmed the release on his X (formerly Twitter) account on August 29, 2025. “We warmly welcome the news that Gena and all of the Haitian nationals taken captive on August 3, including a small child, have been released and are reported to be safe and well,” Harris posted. He went on to praise Heraty as “a respected humanitarian and deeply courageous person who has dedicated her life to supporting the most vulnerable people in Haiti.” Harris acknowledged the extraordinary difficulty and stress the Heraty family faced, adding, “I wish to pay tribute to their resilience and determination to support Gena and her fellow captives over these past difficult weeks.”
Tommy Marren, a broadcaster with Mid West Radio in Mayo who has interviewed Heraty several times, told BBC Radio Ulster that there was “a great sense of relief” following the news of her release. “Her resilience has always been extraordinary and I think now more than ever she’ll be adamant Haiti will be her home,” he said, noting that the family is now “trying to get their heads around the good news.” There is hope, he added, that Heraty will visit her home county before the end of the year.
While the safe return of Heraty and her fellow captives is cause for celebration, the episode highlights the dire situation facing Haiti as a whole. Since February 2024, the country has seen an escalation in violence as heavily armed, politically connected gangs have seized control of vast swathes of the capital and beyond. Authorities have resorted to using armed drones and recruiting foreign mercenaries in an attempt to regain control, but with limited success. The UN-backed policing mission currently deployed has failed to curb the violence, and the U.S. government announced on August 28, 2025, that it is seeking UN authorization for a new “Gang Suppression Force” to help tackle the crisis. Acting U.S. Ambassador Dorothy Shea made the announcement at a UN Security Council meeting, though details about the new force remain unclear.
The kidnapping of missionaries and aid workers is not new in Haiti. In 2021, the 400 Mawozo gang abducted 17 missionaries, including five children, from a U.S.-based organization in Ganthier, east of Port-au-Prince. Most of those hostages were held for 61 days, a grim reminder of the risks faced by foreigners and locals alike.
For now, the focus for Heraty and her family is on recovery and privacy. “We kindly ask that the media respect the need for privacy as all those involved recover from this traumatic ordeal,” the family stated. Their thoughts, however, remain with the people of Haiti. “We continue to hold Haiti in our hearts and hope for peace and safety for all those who are affected by the ongoing armed violence and insecurity there.”
Their relief, while immense, is tempered by the knowledge that many others remain at risk in a country where violence has become all too common, and where the path to peace and stability remains uncertain.
