Episode 142: The Disappearance of Joshlin Smith

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Joshlin Smith was a 6‑year‑old South African girl who vanished from her home in Middelpos, Saldanha Bay near Cape Town on 19 February 2024. Her disappearance triggered a massive search, including community efforts and an Interpol inquiry, but she remains missing. Her mother, Racquel “Kelly” Smith, along with her boyfriend Jacquen Appollis and friend Steveno van Rhyn, were arrested and charged with kidnapping and human trafficking, accused of orchestrating a plot to sell Joshlin to a traditional healer (a “sangoma”) for her eyes and fair skin. Neighbor witness Lourentia Lombaard testified that Smith admitted “I did something silly… I sold my child to a sangoma,” and described seeing the mother leaving with Joshlin in a white vehicle. In May 2025, all three were convicted of kidnapping and human trafficking. Kelly Smith and her co-accused were sentenced to life in prison, with an additional concurrent 10‑year term for kidnapping. The judge noted a lack of remorse from the defendants during sentencing. Despite the conviction, Joshlin’s whereabouts remain unknown and the search continues, supported by both local police and Interpol.

Crime Adjacent
The never-ending true crime thriller told weekly. This season: The Rest Stop Killer.

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