A Haitian in U.S. Wins Case Over Forced Labor

[Omaha Steve]

Source: NY Times

By CARMEN GENTILE

MIAMI — Amid tears, Simone Celestin recalled the repeated beatings she endured at the hands of her adoptive family while working for them as an unpaid servant for six years.

Ms. Celestin, 23, told a South Florida court in March that she was brought to the United States from Haiti at the age of 14 and never attended school. She recalled for jurors how she was hit with a broom or shoe, worked 15-hour days, and was forced to sleep on the floor and eat table scraps.

Her recollections persuaded jurors to convict members of her adoptive family, Evelyn Theodore, 74, and Maude Paulin, her 52-year-old daughter, of conspiring to violate Ms. Celestin’s civil rights and compelling her to perform forced labor. The women, who are also Haitian and adopted Ms. Celestin when she was 5, are scheduled to be sentenced on Tuesday. Ms. Celestin told jurors that her situation was so dire she contemplated suicide, debating one day in March 2004 whether she should drink “motor oil or bleach” after she was beaten for not making the bed properly.

Eventually, she fled and was taken to an area hospital, and she linked up with the Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center.


Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/18/us/18labor.html?_r=2&scp=1&sq=labor&st=cse&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

[flashl]

1. Rec. nt

[Judi Lynn]

2. This young woman has suffered so greatly. What a shame the beast who harmed her year after year

found advocates here in her defense.

I hope she gets NOWHERE in any appeal.

Thank you for posting this information.

[panAmerican]

3. Google "RESTAVEK". I am a volunteer fundraiser for an org to help stop this

Please rec this thread to help give this problem the attention it deserves. I am not sure if I am allowed to post the organization that I have been helping to rescue such children, but if you PM me, I will be glad to discuss and give you information on very simple things (including non-monetary ways) you can do to help.

[ejpoeta]

4. hmm. sounds like slavery is alive and well in this country.

What a shame that this kind of atrocity still exists in this country. How can people do this to anyone!

[Quantess]

5. Some people are such cruel and heartless bastards.

Sad.