In South Africa, Racquel Kelly Smith and two accomplices have been sentenced to life in prison for kidnapping and trafficking her six-year-old daughter, Joshlin Smith.
The sentencing, which was handed down on May 29, 2025, brings a grim end to a high-profile trial that captured international attention.
Despite the convictions, the case is far from over — Joshlin is still missing, and the search continues.
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| Joshlin Smith |
A Mother’s Betrayal: How It All Began
On February 19, 2024, six-year-old Joshlin Smith was reported missing from her home in Middelpos, Saldanha Bay — a quiet coastal town located about 72 miles north of Cape Town, South Africa.
Her mother, Racquel Smith, told neighbors and police that she last saw Joshlin with her boyfriend, Jacquen Appollis, before the little girl disappeared.
At first, the community rallied behind Kelly, believing she was a grieving mother desperate to find her child.
Volunteers organised search parties, combing through sand dunes and nearby streets, while local media broadcasted urgent appeals for any information
However, as days passed, Kelly’s behavior began to raise suspicions, and several witnesses came forward with disturbing details.
One neighbor claimed to have seen Kelly and Joshlin getting into a white vehicle with a bag of clothes on the day the girl vanished.
Kelly never mentioned this when she first reported her daughter missing.
Additionally, another witness reported that Kelly was behaving strangely, including laughing and using her phone during the search efforts.
This odd behavior surprised members of the community and seemed out of place given the situation at hand.
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| Joshlin Smith |
The Investigation into Joshlin’s Disappearance
After these revelations, criminal investigators looked deeper and found evidence indicating this was not a normal disappearance.
Although Kelly said she last saw Joshlin with her boyfriend, Jacquen Appollis, witnesses said they saw Kelly and the child together getting into a white vehicle earlier that same day.
This contradiction made investigators take a closer look at her actions and phone records.
investigators found suspicious calls and messages with a man named Steveno van Rhyn in the days before Joshlin disappeared.
The chilling text messages indicated that Kelly had been planning to sell her children as far back as August 2023, according to BBC.
A local pastor also said that Kelly had openly talked about selling Joshlin and her two siblings for R20,000 (around $1,100) each, but was reportedly willing to accept much less.
Kelly was known to use drugs and was facing financial difficulties, so authorities believe she saw her children as a quick way to get money to buy drugs.
However, even though she reportedly planned to sell all her children, only Joshlin disappeared.
For weeks, Kelly insisted she was innocent, even as public support began to fade and suspicion grew.
Then, in a surprising twist, her friend and neighbor Lourentia Lombaard told police that Kelly had confessed to selling Joshlin.
According to Lombaard, Kelly admitted to handing the girl over to a traditional healer known as Sangoma.
"She told me she did something silly—that she sold Joshlin. The buyer wanted her for her eyes and skin," Lombaard told the court.
After an extensive investigation, Kelly, Appollis, and Van Rhyn were arrested and charged with kidnapping and human trafficking.
Despite the arrests, the most critical question remained unanswered: Where was Joshlin?
Investigators pursued leads suggesting she had been transported beyond Saldanha Bay, possibly even outside South Africa.
Joshlin’s teacher later testified that Smith claimed the girl was on a ship inside a container, heading to West Africa.
International law enforcement agencies were alerted, but no concrete evidence of her whereabouts has surfaced.
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| Kelly Smith |
Justice for Joshlin and The Trial: No Remorse, No Defense
The high-profile trial lasted eight weeks and was held in a community center to accommodate public interest.
More than 30 witnesses testified, but Smith, her boyfriend Jacquen Appollis, and friend Steveno van Rhyn all refused to testify or call any defense witnesses.
On May 29, 2025, Judge Nathan Erasmus sentenced Kelly Smith, Jacquen Appollis, and Steveno van Rhyn to life imprisonment for human trafficking, with an additional 10-year sentence for kidnapping.
Judge Nathan Erasmus condemned their lack of remorse, stating:
"There is nothing that I can find that is redeeming or deserving of a lesser sentence."
The judge rejected the defense’s claims that drug addiction and financial problems should reduce the sentences, saying that neither was a valid excuse for the planned trafficking of a child.
He particularly criticized Kelly Smith for her manipulative behavior throughout the proceedings, including her refusal to testify or provide any information that might help locate Joshlin.
After the verdict was delivered, reactions were mixed, according to Sky News.
Some residents expressed relief that the perpetrators had been held accountable, while others, including Joshlin’s grandmother, Amanda Smith-Daniels, acknowledged that no prison sentence could undo what had been done.
"Bring my grandchild back or tell me where she is. No sentence will bring her home, but at least there’s justice," said Joshlin’s grandmother.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) commended the investigative team and witnesses whose cooperation had secured the conviction.
However, they also stressed that the case was not fully closed—Joshlin’s disappearance remains an active investigation, with authorities still pursuing leads.
Even though justice was served in court, Joshlin’s whereabouts remain a mystery, and the trial didn't reveal exactly how she disappeared.
Additionally, the identity of the supposed buyer was never made public, leaving many people to fear the worst..
The South African Police Service maintains an open case file, urging anyone with information to come forward.
For now, the verdict stands as the closest thing to justice—but for those who loved Joshlin, it will never be.
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