Caitlan Coleman and her husband, Joshua Boyle disappeared in Afghanistan in 2012. Coleman’s family, from Stewartstown, York County, went public with two videos of the couple held captive, allegedly released from their Taliban kidnappers.
Coleman’s family says the videos do not say anything about the health or well-being of their loved ones. They also have a grandchild born in captivity who isn’t shown.
Rep. Scott Perry (R-4th District) says he’s reached out to the family but they haven’t asked him for help at this time.
“They’re free to do what they want to as Americans and if they want to go Afghanistan that is their right and that’s their privilege,” says Perry. “So if they ask for help we’re happy to do everything we can but we’re not going to force ourselves upon them.”
On Thursday, the families of Coleman and Boyle released a statement:
We, the parents of our missing children, Joshua Boyle and Caitlan Coleman, are reaching out to the media in hopes that some humanitarian effort can be achieved that would allow our children and our only grandchild to return home to their families as soon as possible. It has now been approximately 600 days since they were taken, and we are very worried. Absent the short videos we received, we have no further information on their health or well being.
Josh and Caity wanted nothing more than to raise a family at home with their loved ones. However, their captivity shattered their dream. During their captivity our grandchild was born. Now Josh and Caity are forced to care for our grandchild while all remain captive. No parents deserve that kind of life. They deserve to be with their friends and family. To not be able to be a part of you child’s transition into parenthood, and our transition into doting grandparents, is gut-wrenching.
Therefore, we ask the captors for compassion and to allow our children and grandchild to come home to be with their families and to pursue the dreams Josh and Caity shared long ago.
During this period of despair, every day we fear for their continued health and safety. At this time, we have no way of knowing if Josh, Caity, or our grandchild are receiving the medical care they need. Caity is in dire need of medical attention to address a life-threatening liver ailment. Moreover, our grandchild needs basic pediatric care.
Though we trust the captors are taking care of them to the best extent possible, we also trust the captors understand the continued care of Caity and our grandchild is our responsibility. Every day we think of Josh, Caity, and our grandchild. We worry about this young family’s well being, their physical and emotional health, and we worry about how much longer it will take before they are returned home to their families who love them.
We do not know why their captors continue to hold them. We desperately want them home, but we do not know what to do. Moreover, we do not know where to turn. So we remain hopeful that someone will reach out to us with information on how to get Josh, Caity and our grandchild home. Furthermore, we ask anyone who is in a position to help aid our children to do so. Together we can end their captivity.
Our children must be allowed to come home to continue the lives they intended. We are pleading for the immediate release of Josh, Caity, and our grandchild. Furthermore, we believe that family and love are some of the most important aspects of life. Please let them come home to their families who love and miss them.
To Josh and Caity, please remember how much your families love you. We are doing everything we can to help you come home.