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THE 10 US Baptist missionaries charged with kidnapping 33 children in the wake of Haiti's massive earthquake appeared together in court on Wednesday, along with some of the children's parents.

Judge Bernard Saint-Vil interrogated the American church group members separately on Monday and Tuesday, and has spoken to some of the parents this week.

Johnny Antoine, 33, the father of a 10-month-old child he entrusted to the group of Americans, played nervously with his rosary as he waited for a hearing with Saint-Vil.

He said he wanted to see the Americans freed.

Antoine said he had willingly given his child over because his house had collapsed and he had little means to care for the infant. He said he spoke to the missionaries' leader, Laura Silsby.

"She said she came to Haiti to help me," he said, adding he had hoped his child would be returned to him later after receiving care and schooling.

Other parents at the court on Wednesday also called for the Americans' release and appeared to be coached by the missionaries' lawyers.

One of the lawyers, Aviol Fleurant, presented some of the parents to reporters after the hearing and translated their comments into English for the US media.

He also offered comments about Americans in general when appearing before the cameras to speak about the missionaries.

"If they are American, you know in God they trust," he said.

The 10 Americans from the New Life Children's Refuge have claimed they harboured no ill-intent in seeking to take a busload of children they thought were orphans across the border into the Dominican Republican.

After it emerged the children had parents, the Americans' lawyers have sought to portray the Baptists as acting selflessly to help during Haiti's catastrophe.

The judge will interview more parents on Thursday.

Afterward, the head prosecutor has five working days to decide whether to grant conditional release to the group.

The judge then has three months to examine the case and reach a final decision.

A US diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the Americans had been receiving consular visits.