Florida Couple Kidnapped In Haiti Released

News Americas, FORT LAUDERDALE, FL, Tues. April 18, 2023: A Florida couple who were kidnapped while visiting family in Haiti last month, have reportedly been released by their kidnappers.

Jean-Dickens Toussaint and Abigail Michael Toussaint, both 33, were released last Thursday, according to family members who spoke with NBC Miami and returned to Tamarac, Florida on Saturday, April 15th. The details of their release have not been disclosed.

Abigail Toussaint and Jean-Dickens Toussaint, both 33, were taken on March 18th near the capital Port-au-Prince, Haiti. They are now released.

The Toussaints had gone to Port-au-Prince to visit loved ones and attend a festival. They were kidnapped from a bus on March 18 by a gang who spotted suitcases on board. Another person, who was not identified, was traveling with them at the time of the incident.

Initially, the kidnappers demanded $6,000 for the couple’s release, but increased it to $200,000 for each person after the family paid the ransom. It is unclear if the full amount was paid. The family and their local church had called for the Toussaints’ safe return and received assistance from the FBI.

The US State Department confirmed that they were aware of the situation and had issued a travel advisory, warning Americans not to travel to the country due to an uptick of gang violence, kidnapping, crime, and civil unrest. The FBI has also urged U.S. citizens who are considering traveling to Haiti to beware of the risks.