Joslin Smith (6) missing since Feb 19, 2024 from South Africa's west coast

[Bewitchingstorm]

The South African navy was brought in Monday to help with a search for a 6-year-old girl who has been missing for two weeks in a case that has captured national attention, forcing police to ask people to give them space to work and stop encroaching on the operation and recording it on their cell phones.

Joslin Smith went missing on Feb. 19 in the Saldanha Bay area on South Africa's west coast, about 120 kilometers (75 miles) north of Cape Town.

Community members have also been involved in the search. Some of them claimed this weekend to have found a knife and girl's clothing stained with blood, which they said they handed over to the police.

Police Minister Bheki Cele met with Joslin's family on Saturday and pleaded for calm among local residents after anger erupted over the young girl's disappearance. Joslin's mother, Kelly Smith, said she and her boyfriend were kept at a police station for their own protection after angry neighbors blamed them for not watching over the child.

Smith, the mother, said she asked her boyfriend to look after Joslin when the young girl felt unwell and didn?t go to school on the day she disappeared. The boyfriend, Jacquin Appollis, said he lost track of where Joslin was and she was missing by the time her mother came back from work.

Full story here: https://www.yahoo.com/news/search-yo...173226941.html

[marshmallow]

Full story here: https://www.yahoo.com/news/search-yo...173226941.html

That poor girl may never be found. The stats on missing/murdered/trafficked children are horrific.

[Bewitchingstorm]

Here's her missing poster. She is such a beautiful little girl.


Screenshot 2024-03-05 at 7.35.15 AM.jpg

[raisedbywolves]

https://abcnews.go.com/International...ther-107888540

Mother of South African girl missing for weeks is charged with selling her

The mother of a 6-year-old girl who has been missing in South Africa for nearly three weeks was arrested and charged Thursday with kidnapping and selling or trafficking her daughter, a shocking twist in a case that has seized the country's attention and sparked deep anger in the small, poor coastal community where the family lives.

In the days after Joslin's disappearance last month, local media reported that neighbors had accused her mother of selling her for just over $1,000.

The discovery of a child's discarded clothing near Joslin's home last weekend heightened emotions.

Her mother, Kelly Smith ? whose full name given by prosecutors is Racquel Chantel Smith ? has now been charged with kidnapping and human trafficking offenses along with three others, two men and a woman. One of the men is Smith's boyfriend. She claimed she left Joslin with him on Feb. 19 while she went to work.

Joslin was reported missing that day.

The four suspects didn't enter a plea in response to the charges and another court hearing was scheduled for next week. They will remain in custody, prosecutors said.

Police said a child's clothing had been recovered last weekend near the settlement of small houses and shacks where Joslin lived. It was sent to a laboratory for forensic examination. Community members who are also involved in the search said the clothing was spattered with blood and a knife was also found. Police didn't give any more details on what was discovered.

Prosecutors said in court documents released Thursday that Kelly Smith and the others conspired to abduct Joslin and intentionally sold, delivered or exchanged her. The suspects face a sentence of life in prison if convicted of the main charge of human trafficking.

[Bewitchingstorm]

https://abcnews.go.com/International...ther-107888540

Mother of South African girl missing for weeks is charged with selling her

OMFG. WTF!?!?!?