A South African woman, Racquel “Kelly” Smith, has been sentenced to life in prison for kidnapping and trafficking her six-year-old daughter, Joshlin Smith, whose disappearance in early 2024 shocked the nation. Smith, along with her boyfriend Jacquen Appollis and friend Steveno van Rhyn, received life sentences for human trafficking and additional 10-year terms for kidnapping.
Joshlin, who vanished from Saldanha Bay near Cape Town in February 2024, remains missing despite a nationwide search. Prosecutors alleged Smith sold her daughter to a traditional healer (or “sangoma”) for 20,000 rand (about $1,100), with disturbing testimony suggesting the child was targeted for her eyes and skin. The court was unable to confirm the buyer’s identity or the girl’s fate.
Judge Nathan Erasmus, delivering the verdict in a packed community sports hall, condemned the trio’s lack of remorse. “There is nothing redeeming here to warrant a lesser sentence,” he said, noting the profound damage caused to both family and community.
Initially viewed as a grieving mother, Smith was later exposed as manipulative, with multiple witnesses – including a state witness and a local pastor – testifying that she had considered selling her children well before Joshlin’s disappearance.
Joshlin’s grandmother, Amanda Smith-Daniels, expressed deep sorrow at the sentencing. “No punishment can undo what has been done,” she said, urging her daughter to reveal what truly happened.
Authorities say the search for Joshlin continues, with efforts now extending internationally. The case has thrown a harsh spotlight on South Africa’s rising tide of child kidnappings—over 17,000 cases were recorded in the last fiscal year.
The National Prosecuting Authority praised the life sentences as a strong stance against child trafficking, calling for continued vigilance to protect the country’s most vulnerable.
