Haitian singer Dumé found in woods with cord around his neck

CAP-HAITIEN — Clifford Dumé,  the 22-year-old Haitian singer who had been missing in the Dominican Republic since Aug. 25, was found alive in the woods in Santo Domingo Friday with a small cord and two pieces of garlic tied around his neck, according to Junior Rigolo, presenter on the YouTube channel Pi Lwen Ke Zye TV, Creole for  “Beyond The Eyes.”

In an interview with Pi Lwen Ke Zye TV, a program focusing on artists, Dumé recounted that he was going to buy a Coke at a convenience store near his home when he heard someone call his name. Upon turning towards the voice, Dumé said he saw two women dressed in white and subsequently lost consciousness until he was reunited with friends and family.

“It’s an experience that I will never forget,” Dumé said in the video interview filmed on Aug. 30 and published the following day. “It’s like I went to another planet. It’s like I went to visit somewhere else. Thank you to everyone who supported me during this time. I didn’t know anything,” he added.

During the two-minute interview, Dumé spoke in a shallow voice, appearing slimmer, frail, and extremely tired compared to before he went missing. According to Rigolo, Dumé did not eat, shower, or brush his teeth during the five days he disappeared. The host of Pi Lwen Ke Zye TV traveled to Santo Domingo on Aug. 28 to investigate the singer’s disappearance.

After being found, Dumé could not walk properly on his own and even fell when briefly left alone due to a lack of energy. As of Aug. 31, Dumé was staying in a hotel in Santo Domingo, awaiting medical attention.

The details of who found Dumé and the exact location in the Dominican Republic where he was discovered remain unsubstantiated. His younger brother, Wadson Dumé, along with friends Stephanie Siméon and a man known as Salomon, were actively searching for him. After agreeing to do a written interview, Siméon has yet to answer The Haitian Times’ questions. Dumé’s brother has not yet replied to an interview request.

The Haitian Times has also contacted the Dominican police to find out if they have been investigating the circumstances around the Haitian singer’s disappearance or alleged kidnapping. They have yet to respond.

Siméon rejoiced over Dumé’s return, sharing the news on WhatsApp on Aug. 31, “Big thank you to everyone who stood with us how they could when the artist went missing. We found the artist. Thank you very much. We love you all.”

Dumé disappeared around 10:00 a.m. on Aug. 25 after leaving home to go to a convenience store about three minutes from his residence in northern Santo Domingo, according to Wadson in an Instagram video posted the same day. Wadson was the first to report that his brother was missing.

According to his younger brother, Dumé left home wearing slippers, red pajamas, and a white T-shirt without his phone. Meanwhile, Wadson was cooking at home as they planned to go out later that afternoon. When Wadson realized the singer had not returned after an extended period, he went to the convenience store to look for his brother. Employees there said Dumé had not entered the store but saw him walking past it.

Wadson then contacted the Dominican police and immigration control office, checked hospitals, and asked friends. But he did not gather any information on his brother’s whereabouts. Rumors circulated that Dumé was detained by immigration officers, who supposedly deported him to Haiti. However, a close friend quickly denied these claims.

Dumé moved to the Dominican Republic in January 2024 after members of the 400 Mawozo gang kidnapped and killed his father, Joanès Dumé, in Croix-des-Bouquets, where the artist grew up. The gangs also kidnapped his sister and cousin, who were also shot but survived.

Dumé’s family received threats because the singer performed at the same event with singer Asap Jesus the same week he was killed and then burned in Port-au-Prince, according to Rigolo. It is unclear if Dumé’s disappearance is linked to those threats.

Two days before going missing, Dumé released a single titled “Repare,” Creole for “Repair,” on YouTube. However, one of his most popular hits is “Lanmou Inosan,” Creole for “Love is Innocent,” a 2019 song that has garnered seven million views on YouTube.

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