'Had to flee orphanages': Tampa nonprofit rescues 2 children from Haiti as gang violence deepens
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TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – Two families have reunited with their adopted children who were trapped in Haiti’s escalating crisis.

The Gray Bull Rescue Foundation embarked on a mission to help two six-year-old girls escape the island nation as violence continues to erupt.

Their escape from Haiti comes at a critical time.

“The human rights situation in Haiti has reached yet another crisis point,” said UN human rights chief Volker Türk in a social media post. “Gangs are uniting to spread terror, armed with powerful weapons. The illicit flow of arms into the country must stop. The Haitian people cannot be forgotten. Their suffering must end.”

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The unrest has been weighing heavy on Angela Howell-Edgerly, especially over the last year when gang violence reached new heights in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince.

Angela Howell-Edgerly and her husband spent seven years navigating Haiti’s adoption process for their daughter, Rosie.

“The current condition of the country warrants immediate action,” Howell-Edgerly said.

However, last March, her effort to unite with Rosie in America stood at a standstill when the government collapsed.

Uncertainty became fear when Rosie’s living conditions became more dire each day.

“Some children have had to flee orphanages, including our daughter, due to surrounding gunfire and bullets penetrating walls,” Howell-Edgerly said.

Howell-Edgerly contacted the Grey Bull Rescue Foundation to assist.

The non-profit organization is a veteran-led, international rescue agency based in Tampa, Florida.

Grey Bull Rescue specializes in rescuing Americans from conflict zones across the world when the U.S. Government does not have access or a presence.

“Now, after a last-minute clearance and a high-stakes rescue, these families will be together,” reads a statement from the Grey Bull Rescue Foundation. “Their journey has been filled with heartbreak, resilience, and unwavering determination.”

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