9th missionary released by Haiti

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, March 8 (UPI) -- Haitian officials Monday released a U.S. missionary held for more than a month for allegedly trying to kidnap 33 children following the Jan. 12 earthquake.

CNN reported Charisa Coulter, one of two U.S. missionaries still in custody, was released shortly after noon and headed for the airport. CNN said Laura Silsby, the other missionary, was still being held.

Coulter and Silsby were among 10 missionaries stopped at the border with the Dominican Republic with 33 children Jan. 29. Haitian officials said they did not have the proper documentation to take the children out of the country. The eight other missionaries were released Feb. 18.

Silsby initially claimed the children were all orphans but subsequent investigation proved that false, the report said. Some parents said they turned the children over to the missionaries because they thought the missionaries were in a better position to provide care, CNN said.