South African Mother Found Guilty of Selling Her Child to a Traditional Healer

In a shocking case that has left South Africa appalled, a woman has been found guilty of abducting and selling her six-year-old daughter. Over a year has passed since the child went missing and authorities have yet to locate her.

Racquel Chantel Smith, known initially as Kelly Smith, along with two male accomplices, was convicted on charges of kidnapping and human trafficking linked to the disappearance of her daughter, Joshlin, who vanished in February 2024 at the age of six.

Initially perceived sympathetically by the public, Smith garnered community support as volunteers aided police in scouring sand dunes in their impoverished settlement near Saldanha Bay, roughly 75 miles from Cape Town.

Images of Joshlin, cheerful and with pigtails, were circulated by media outlets nationwide, prompting a comprehensive search effort.

Smith's narrative changed dramatically after she was apprehended, having initially claimed her daughter was left in the care of her boyfriend on the day of her disappearance.

During the courtroom proceedings, a witness recounted that Smith confessed to selling her daughter along with her two cohorts for approximately $1,000 to a traditional healer aiming to use the child’s body parts. The judge’s ruling stopped short of determining the child’s purchaser or her exact fate.

The convicts, Smith, Jacquin Appollis, and Steveno van Rhyn, now face potential life sentences with scheduled sentencing discussions imminent.

Courtroom Reactions and Ongoing Search

Upon hearing the verdict, Smith showed emotion by wiping her tears, while Van Rhyn's reaction was baffling as he broke into a smile.

The courtroom audience erupted in applause when the decision was announced by Judge Nathan Erasmus.

After the verdict, Smith's mother expressed her anger and declared her unwillingness to see Smith again, demanding information about her granddaughter's whereabouts.

"She needs to tell me where my grandchild is located," Amanda Daniels-Smith told the press emphatically.

Due to the significant public interest, the trial was conducted at a sports facility in Saldanha Bay, which could accommodate a larger crowd than a typical courtroom.

Following the court's decision, the police affirmed their commitment to continue the search for Joshlin, as reported by the BBC.