She sold a 6 -year -old daughter for “eyes and skin” – now the girl is still missing as her mother learns her fate

• Racquel’s Kelly Smith, the mother of 6-year-old Joshlin Smith, was sentenced to life prison along with the other two men associated with his child’s trade

• Jacquen Appoll and Steven Van Rhyn also convicted the judge in South Africa

• Judge Nathan Erasmus through a verdict that was convicted on Thursday, May 29

The mother of South Africa and two more were sentenced to life prison for a 6 -year -old woman’s daughter.

Racquel “Kelly” Smith, who was convicted of allegations of kidnapping and trafficking in human beings earlier in May after the authorities said she might have sold her daughter to a local physician, was sentenced on Thursday, May 29, along with her friend Jacquen Appoll and her friend Steven Van Rhyn, CNN, CBS News and BBC. The conviction was committed more than a year after Smith’s daughter Joshlin Smith disappeared from her Saldanha Bay house in 2024. February She remained missing.

Judge Nathan Erasmus sentenced Smith and two men in prison for trafficking in human beings, as well as 10 years for kidnapping through CBS news.

While serving his sentence, the South African judge said that the mother had shown that she had not been “compassion” of her daughter’s disappearance, and that the CBS News noted that the courtroom was delighted with the verdict. “There is nothing I can find, which would redeem and deserve less punishment than the strictest I can impose,” Judge Erasmus said.

CNN and CBS News, Erasmus said the fact that criminals were drug users was not an excuse for their actions. Joshlin’s grandmother also attended court wearing a T -shirt depicting Joshlin’s face.

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May 2 Smith was convicted of his daughter’s trade, Reuters reported earlier this month. The BBC also reported that Appoll and Van Rhyn were found guilty of their relevant abductions and allegations of human trafficking for the disappearance of the girl.

According to the BBC, the court’s neighbor testified that Smith was convinced that she was planning to sell her daughter to a traditional doctor who “wanted her for her eyes and skin” until the child had disappeared. All three rejected participation in Joshlin’s disappearance at the time.

LouREntia Lombaard, a neighbor of Smith, testified that her mother told her that she “did something stupid” and “sold my child” Sangoma “to the traditional South African doctor – added that she also offered her money in exchange for silence, the BBC said earlier. Joshlin’s teacher, reportedly, added in court that Kelly told his Joshlin “on board, inside the container, and they were on the way to West Africa.”

Joshlin’s teacher Edna Maart described the girl as “very neat” and a quiet student for the outlet.

According to the BBC, the pastor also testified that the mother once talked about the sale of her children at $ 20,000 (about $ 1100 each).

Earlier, the BBC reported that a woman who is believed to have been arrested and questioned while the authorities were looking for Joshlin before releasing the lack of evidence. Smith broke down to tears when her guilt sentence was read earlier this month.

According to CBS News, which cites police statistics, more than 17,000 abductions in South Africa have been held in the financial year 2023/2024. This increased 11% more than last year.

If you suspect violence against children, call the Childhelp National Coercion Children’s Violence Line 1-800-4-A-Vaiku or 1-800-422-4453 or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are free and confidential. The hot line is available around the clock more than 170 languages.

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