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The Florida couple who was kidnapped in Haiti and held on $400,000 ransom has finally been freed, according to their family

Apr 15, 2023, 23:19 IST
Insider
The couple was reportedly kidnapped on March 18.Screenshot/Change.org
  • The Florida couple, who was kidnapped in Haiti, has been freed, per reports.
  • Jean-Dickens Toussaint and Abigail Michael Toussaint were kidnapped during a March visit.
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A Florida couple was reportedly let free earlier this week after the pair were kidnapped while visiting family in Haiti last month.

Family members of Jean-Dickens Toussaint and Abigail Michael Toussaint, both 33, told NBC Miami that the couple was released on Thursday. The family also told the outlet that they are expected to be back in Tamarac, Florida on Saturday. No additional details were made available.

They previously said that the Toussaints went to Port-au-Prince, Hait to visit loved ones and attend a festival.

They were kidnapped from a bus on March 18, after a gang spotted suitcases on board, Nikese Toussaint, Jean-Dickens' sister said, per NBC Miami. The outlet noted that another person, who was not identified, was traveling with them at the time of the incident.

"They stopped the bus at a stop and then asked for Americans to get off the bus and their escorts off the bus, and then they took them," Christie Desormes, their niece, told WPLG in March.

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Per WPLG, the kidnappers initially requested $6,000 for the couple's release but decided to increase it to $200,000 for each person after the family paid it.

It is unclear if the full ransom was paid. The family did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

Following their kidnapping, the family and their local church called for the immediate safe return of the Toussaints. Demores started a petition asking for people to spread the word about what happened to her loved ones.

NBC Miami reported that the family received assistance from the FBI.

When Insider reached out to the US State Department last month, they confirmed that they were "aware of the situation."

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As ABC News reported, the agency put out a travel advisory, warning Americans not to travel to the country —amid an uptick of gang violence — pointing to "kidnapping, crime, and civil unrest."

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