Mom who ‘sold six-year-old daughter for $1,100 for her eyes and skin’ receives prison sentence
A heartbreaking case in South Africa has led to life prison sentences for three people, including the mother of a missing six-year-old girl named Joshlin Smith. Joshlin vanished in February 2024 from near her home in Saldanha Bay, a town close to Cape Town, and she still hasn’t been found.
Her mother, Racquel “Kelly” Smith, her boyfriend Jacquen Appollis, and their friend Steveno van Rhyn were put on trial after being accused of selling Joshlin to a traditional healer, known as a sangoma. According to reports, the sangoma wanted the little girl for her eyes and skin. This shocking claim was supported by witness testimonies shared during an eight-week trial.
More than 30 people testified during the trial, including a neighbor named Lourentia Lombaard. She said Smith admitted to selling her daughter to a sangoma. A local pastor also came forward, saying he overheard Smith in 2023 talking about selling her children, with amounts ranging from \$1,100 to as low as \$275. Even Joshlin’s teacher said Smith claimed her daughter was inside a shipping container on the way to West Africa.
The trial took place at the White City Multipurpose Centre and ended on May 29, when Judge Nathan Erasmus gave all three people the same sentence. He said there was no difference between them in terms of guilt. Each was sentenced to life in prison for human trafficking and an additional 10 years for kidnapping.
Despite the verdict, the most important part remains unresolved—Joshlin is still missing. The police are continuing the search and have promised they won’t stop until they learn what really happened to her. Western Cape police commissioner Thembisile Patekile said officers are working around the clock to find answers.
The National Prosecuting Authority stated that the court’s ruling confirms that Joshlin was indeed sold and handed over to be exploited, possibly in a situation like slavery.
Her disappearance has shocked the nation, and while her mother and the two others have now been sentenced, the hope remains that Joshlin will one day be found.
