A South African woman, Racquel Chantel Smith, went on trial on Monday, charged with the kidnapping and sale of her young daughter, Joshlin. The case, which has captured national attention, centers on the disappearance of the 6-year-old girl over a year ago, with Smith, her partner Jacquin Appollis, and a third man, Steveno van Rhyn, facing charges related to her abduction.
Smith, 33, was charged with kidnapping, human trafficking, and orchestrating the abduction of her daughter in exchange for payment. She is accused of conspiring with Appollis and van Rhyn to sell Joshlin to unknown buyers. The three defendants have pleaded not guilty to all charges. The trial, which opened in a sports hall in the small coastal town of Saldanha Bay, was moved to the larger venue to accommodate a crowd of local residents who have been closely following the case.
Joshlin, who was 6 years old when she disappeared in February 2024, remains missing. The case has sparked widespread outrage across South Africa, as Smith initially won public sympathy. In the days following Joshlin’s disappearance, Smith, along with neighbors, actively participated in a search effort, combing dunes near the impoverished settlement where they lived in search of the missing child. At the time, Smith claimed that she had left Joshlin with Appollis on the day of her disappearance and had not seen her since.
However, the investigation took a shocking turn when police arrested Smith after questioning her. Authorities later revealed that Smith had been planning to sell Joshlin and her two other children since August 2023, although only Joshlin went missing. Surveillance footage allegedly showed Smith and Joshlin getting into a white vehicle, carrying a bag of clothes, just before the child’s disappearance.
The case has provoked anger and disbelief within the local community, with many residents gathering outside the sports hall, chanting “We want Joshlin back.”
Smith’s arrest, and the subsequent charges against her, have left the community reeling. One other woman who was arrested in connection with the case is reportedly set to testify as a state witness, although she has not been charged.
If found guilty, Smith, Appollis, and van Rhyn could face life imprisonment. Judge Nathan Erasmus, who is overseeing the trial, has emphasized the severity of the charges and the potential consequences for the accused.
As the trial progresses, questions remain about Joshlin’s whereabouts, and whether authorities can uncover the truth behind her disappearance. The case continues to unfold, with the community and South Africa at large awaiting answers.
