South African Mother & Boyfriend Sold Daughter For $1,085 To Ritualist

CAPE TOWN, South Africa — A South African woman was convicted on Friday of kidnapping and selling her 6-year-old daughter in a case that has horrified the nation. The child, Joshlin Smith, disappeared over a year ago and remains missing to this day.

Kelly Smith, whose full name is Racquel Chantel Smith, was found guilty alongside her boyfriend, Jacquin Appollis, and their friend, Steveno van Rhyn. The trio was convicted of kidnapping and human trafficking in connection to the February 2024 disappearance of little Joshlin.

Smith had initially been seen as a grieving mother, gaining widespread sympathy and support as community members joined in the desperate search for her daughter in the sand dunes near their impoverished neighborhood in Saldanha Bay — a town located about 120 kilometers (75 miles) north of Cape Town. News outlets across South Africa shared Joshlin’s image, a sweet smile and pigtails etched into the public memory.

However, the case took a dark turn when police arrested Smith, revealing shocking new details. During the trial, a witness testified that Smith had confessed to selling her daughter to a traditional healer — allegedly for use in ritual practices — for the equivalent of $1,085. Although the court did not definitively determine who received the child or what ultimately happened to her, the revelations sent shockwaves across the country.

The trial was held in a local sports center to accommodate the large crowd of emotionally invested community members. Applause and cheers erupted when Judge Nathan Erasmus delivered the guilty verdicts.

Smith, Appollis, and van Rhyn now face life imprisonment. Sentencing proceedings are expected to begin next week.