American Couple Asks For Prayers After Being Held In Qatar For Child's Death

An American couple acquitted of murder charges in Qatar was prevented from leaving the country and returning to the U.S. this weekend.

An appeals court found Matthew and Grace Huang of Los Angeles, California to be not guilty on charges of child endangerment and murder regarding their 8-year-old adopted daughter, Gloria, who died in the country in 2013. Although an appeals court determined that the couple was free to go, they were reportedly stopped by immigration officials at the airport on Sunday, who told them a new appeals case had been opened and that they were forced to stay in the country.

Eric Volz, a spokesperson for the Huang family, tweeted on Sunday that the family is seeking prayers after being forced to stay in the country.

"We are safe but need prayer. Huangs have been barred from leaving Qatar. Huge showdown happening here at airport," the family spokesperson tweeted.

According to CNN, Grace Huang previously said that she and her husband have not been able to mourn their daughter's death due to the stressful court proceddings in the Persian Gulf country. The couple has maintained that their 8-year-old daughter, adopted from Ghana, died of medical conditions and an eating disorder, while prosecutors argued she died by being denied food and movement.

"Everything has revolved around her case and our situation," Grace Huang said. "We haven't had a chance to really say goodbye and mourn. We just really want to be able to honor her place in our lives with our friends and family and that hasn't happened yet."

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said in a statement Sunday that the Obama administration is "deeply concerned about new delays that have prevented [the Huangs'] departure," imploring Qatar to release the American couple "without further delay" so they may be reunited with their two sons, also adopted, back in the U.S.