Police in Haiti have detained an American missionary accused of operating an unauthorised orphanage and abusing children, following an investigation that reportedly uncovered explicit messages on his mobile phone.
Arold Jean, spokesperson for the Cap-Haïtien police department, said on Friday that US authorities arrested Thomas Osbeck on September 30.
Jean said members of the public brought Osbeck, who runs an orphanage in the Morne Rouge area, to the police.
“Upon investigation, the police discovered that he lacked the necessary authorisation to operate the orphanage,” he said.
According to the police spokesperson, a review of Osbeck’s mobile phone subsequently revealed explicit messages allegedly sent to children.
Following the discovery, 12 children, including 11 girls aged between seven and 17, underwent medical examinations, Jean said.
It was not immediately clear whether Osbeck had secured legal representation. Jean, however, said he expected the suspect to be extradited to the United States.
The case comes amid another investigation involving an American missionary accused of sexually abusing minors while working in Haiti.
Maylon Foshee, a 23-year-old man from Louisiana, is scheduled to return to a US federal court on Monday after being charged with illicit sexual conduct involving minors in Haiti.
US authorities allege that Foshee sexually abused children while working as a missionary in Gonaïves.
The two cases have drawn attention to allegations of child sexual abuse involving American religious workers in the Caribbean nation.
