Racquel “Kelly” Smith was sentenced to life in prison in South Africa for human trafficking, after the court determined that she had been involved in trafficking her own daughter, Joshlin Smith, a girl of just 6 years old who disappeared in February 2024 and has still not been found.
Her partner, Jacquen Appollis, and a friend of theirs, Steveno van Rhyn, also received life sentences for the same crime, as well as 10 years in prison for kidnapping. During the trial, which lasted eight weeks, more than 30 witnesses testified about the little girl’s disappearance. A neighbor said Kelly had told her that she sold Joshlin to a traditional healer, although the details of that alleged transaction were not established during the proceedings.
The case left an entire community in shock. Joshlin’s grandmother, Amanda Smith-Daniels, once again pleaded with her own daughter to reveal where the girl was: “Bring my granddaughter back to me or tell me where she is”. Meanwhile, authorities said they would continue searching for her, even beyond South Africa’s borders.
The sentence has been handed down, but one family is still waiting for the most important answer: where is Joshlin? 💔
