In a heart-wrenching turn of events, the disappearance of six-year-old Joshlin Smith from her home in Saldanha Bay has left her mother, Kelly Smith, in a state of anguish and despair.
As the investigation enters its ninth day, the search for Joshlin has been scaled down, leaving her family and the community with more questions than answers.
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The circumstances surrounding Joshlin’s disappearance are shrouded in mystery and conflicting accounts. Joshlin’s aunt, Mickyela Daniels, has accused Kelly of “knowing what happened to the six-year-old”.
Daniels claims that Kelly told her there was someone who wanted to buy Joshlin.
According to Daniels – who is a police officer – Kelly confessed that someone was interested in buying Joslin Smith for R10 000.
Daniels told Gayton during the FB Live that Kelly had told her on a phone call: “My child is in the squatter camp. Someone wanted to buy her, but Saldanha was ‘too heated.’ Those were her exact words to me.
“I feel Kelly knows where he child is. Why is she not looking for her child with the community?”
These allegations have raised concerns about the possibility of human trafficking being involved.
However, Kelly vehemently denies any involvement and insists that her boyfriend, Jacquin Appollis, is innocent. Appollis was the last person to see Joshlin before she went missing.
He claims to have been sleeping when she left their home in Diazville. Kelly has expressed her unwavering support for Appollis, stating that he had nothing to do with their daughter’s disappearance.
“People can say what they want but I know that my boyfriend had nothing to do with this.
“When I saw him on Tuesday, he was crying a lot. He’s innocent,” Smith said.
Amidst the mounting pressure and public scrutiny, Kelly has decided to take a lie detector test with Appollis to prove their innocence.
In a live video on Facebook with Patriotic Alliance president Gayton Mckenzie, she expressed her frustration with the community’s accusations and stated that she could no longer be a part of the search due to threats and harassment.
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“Some community members are unreasonable, they want to hurt me.
“I couldn’t sleep on Monday, I was at the police station the whole night, the police had to protect us.
“The community believes that I know something about my daughter’s disappearance.
“If people think that I’m guilty then they’re making a big mistake, that is my child.
“If you never had a missing child in your life then you will never know how I feel.
“I feel broken, no one can mend me.
“I don’t want people to blame us, we have nothing to do with my child’s disappearance.
“I just want to find my child and say ‘mommy is here’. I don’t know where she is.
“I’m afraid to be alive, I’m scared to go to the shop.”
While the police investigation continues, the search for Joshlin has yielded no significant leads. Police spokesperson Malcolm Pojie announced that despite exhausting all avenues and resources, no trace of Joshlin has been found.
The investigation team is working tirelessly to follow up on any information received, but they urge the public to refrain from spreading unfounded rumors and unverified information.
As the days pass, the anguish and desperation felt by Kelly and her family intensify. Kelly’s emotional plea for her daughter’s safe return echoes the pain and fear that only a parent with a missing child can understand.
She pleads for understanding and empathy, emphasizing that she and Appollis have nothing to do with Joshlin’s disappearance.
The community’s response to the situation has been mixed. While some have shown support and offered assistance, others have resorted to blame and suspicion. Kelly’s fear of going out in public reflects the toll that this ordeal has taken on her mental and emotional well-being.
