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2d ago

South African Mother Convicted of Trafficking Missing Six-Year-Old Daughter

Kelly Smith and two accomplices were found guilty of selling her daughter Joshlin to a traditional healer, as the child remains missing over a year later.

FILE - Kelly Smith, the mother of missing Joshlin Smith, appears in court in Vredenburg, South Africa, Thursday, March 7, 2024. (AP Photo, File)
Joshlin Smith's mother, Kelly appears in court in the case of the disappearance of her daughter from her home, at the Vredenburg Magistrate Court, in Vredenburg, Saldanha Bay, South Africa, March 7, 2024. REUTERS/Esa Alexander/File Photo
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Kelly Smith (L) was found guilty of trafficking her six-year-old daughter

Overview

  • Joshlin Smith, a six-year-old girl, disappeared from her home in Middelpos, Saldanha Bay, on February 19, 2024, and has not been found since.
  • A South African court convicted Joshlin’s mother, Kelly Smith, along with her boyfriend Jacquen Apollis and their friend Steveno Van Rhyn, of trafficking and kidnapping the child.
  • Witnesses testified that Smith sold her daughter to a traditional healer for 20,000 rand, reportedly due to the child’s distinctive eyes and skin tone.
  • Judge Nathan Erasmus adjourned the court for sentencing, with the three convicted facing potential life sentences.
  • The case has drawn national attention, sparking public outrage and community-led efforts to search for Joshlin, whose whereabouts remain unknown.