A South African court has sentenced Racquel “Kelly” Smith, her boyfriend Jacquen Appollis, and their friend Steveno van Rhyn to life imprisonment for kidnapping and trafficking Smith’s six-year-old daughter, Joshlin Smith, who disappeared in February 2024.
Joshlin Smith, a cheerful young girl known for her green eyes, pigtails, and wide smile, was reported missing on February 19, 2024, from her home in Middelpos, a township in the coastal town of Saldanha Bay, located about 85 miles (120 kilometers) north of Cape Town.
Her disappearance initially prompted a wave of public sympathy for her mother, Racquel “Kelly” Smith. Local residents joined search parties combing through nearby sand dunes and informal settlements, while images of Joshlin were broadcast across South Africa. At the time, Smith told police and the public that she had left her daughter with her boyfriend, Jacquen Appollis, and returned to find her gone.
Authorities launched an intensive search operation involving local law enforcement, community volunteers, and national agencies. The case garnered the attention of senior government officials, including Sport and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie, who offered a reward of 1 million rand (approximately $54,000) for Joshlin’s safe return.
Despite months of searching and extensive media coverage, Joshlin has never been found.
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The case took a dramatic turn when suspicions began to mount about the mother’s involvement. Several witnesses came forward during the investigation, providing disturbing testimonies about prior conversations and admissions made by Kelly Smith. These statements suggested that Smith had not only been aware of Joshlin’s fate but had orchestrated it.
Smith, along with Appollis and their mutual friend, Steveno van Rhyn, was arrested and charged with kidnapping and human trafficking. The state’s case was largely built on witness testimonies, including from neighbors, a teacher, a pastor, and a state witness who had been close to Smith.
The trial, held over eight weeks in the Western Cape High Court, captivated the South African public. Due to high interest and strong community involvement, the proceedings were relocated to a local sports center in Saldanha Bay to accommodate members of the public.
More than 30 witnesses testified. A key witness, Lourentia Lombaard, a neighbor and friend of Smith, told the court that Smith had admitted she had done “something silly” and sold Joshlin to a sangoma — a traditional healer — for 20,000 rand (about $1,100). Lombaard claimed the sangoma was interested in Joshlin’s eyes and fair skin.
A local pastor also testified that Smith had previously discussed selling her children, and had even set prices — 20,000 rand per child, but indicated she would accept as little as 5,000 rand ($275). Joshlin’s teacher recalled that during the early search efforts, Smith had made a chilling remark: that her daughter was already “on a ship, inside a container, and they were on the way to West Africa.”
All three defendants — Smith, Appollis, and Van Rhyn — refused to testify in their own defense and did not call any witnesses. Prosecutors argued that Smith was the ringleader of the plot, driven by financial desperation and drug addiction.
Judge Nathan Erasmus found all three guilty of human trafficking and kidnapping. He stated that the crime was one of the most egregious to come before the court and rebuked the defendants for their lack of remorse. “There is nothing that I can find that is redeeming and deserving of a lesser sentence than the harshest I can impose,” Erasmus said.
On May 29, 2025, Judge Erasmus sentenced all three defendants to life imprisonment for human trafficking and an additional 10 years for kidnapping, to be served concurrently. Their names were also ordered to be added to South Africa’s child protection register.
The judge rejected arguments that the defendants’ drug addiction should be considered a mitigating factor. He described Smith as manipulative, deceitful, and entirely unrepentant. “You manipulate the facts as it suits you,” Erasmus told her. He also condemned her for attempting to blame her parents for her actions.
The sentencing hearing was attended by community members and Joshlin’s grandmother, Amanda Smith-Daniels. She wore a T-shirt printed with a picture of Joshlin’s face and sat quietly with other relatives in the courtroom.
In a victim impact statement read aloud by a court officer, Daniels addressed her daughter directly. “Kelly, you have made our lives hell on earth. I feel like my heart has been ripped from my body. You have broken this family apart.”
Daniels, who now cares for Smith’s other two children, said she lives in constant fear that they too might be taken. Speaking to local media, she added: “I don’t feel that any sentence they get will bring my grandchild back.”
Western Cape police commissioner Thembisile Patekile confirmed that the investigation into Joshlin’s disappearance remains active. “We will not rest until we find what happened to Joshlin. We are continuing day and night looking for her,” he told reporters.
South Africa has faced a dramatic rise in kidnappings in recent years. According to police data, over 17,000 kidnappings were reported in the 12 months leading up to March 2024 — an 11% increase from the previous year and nearly triple the number from three years earlier. The data does not distinguish how many of those cases involved children.
While the court delivered its judgment and punishment, the most painful question remains unanswered: What happened to Joshlin Smith?
Although the legal chapter has closed, the emotional weight of her disappearance continues to hang over her family, her community, and the nation.
This article is based entirely on information reported by the multiple reputable news sources as cited. No opinions, interpretations, or unverified claims have been added. Our writers carefully researched these sources to deliver an accurate and factual report.
