Racquel Smith, a mother from South Africa, has been sentenced to life in prison for selling her six-year-old daughter, Joshlin Smith, in a deeply troubling case that has gripped the nation.
Life Sentenced: South African Mother Convicted of Selling Daughter
Life Sentenced: South African Mother Convicted of Selling Daughter
A woman's harrowing crime leaves a nation in despair as her daughter remains missing.
In a heart-wrenching case that has shocked the nation, Racquel Smith was sentenced to life imprisonment on Thursday for selling her six-year-old daughter, Joshlin Smith, who remains missing. The ruling came after a three-month trial held in Saldanha Bay, South Africa, where the community had united in search of the young girl.
Judge Nathan Erasmus expressed his dismay over the lack of remorse shown by Smith, stating that she continued to lie even as the case neared its conclusion. Alongside Smith, two accomplices were also sentenced to life for their roles in the heinous crime, which included kidnapping and child trafficking, subjected to the minimum penalty for such acts in South Africa.
Joshlin disappeared in February 2024 from their home shared with her mother, siblings, and her mother’s boyfriend in Saldanha Bay. Despite extensive searches by community members along with police and naval officers, she has not been found. The urgency and gravity of the case drew widespread attention, with court proceedings being held in a community center and broadcasted on national television to meet public interest.
Prosecutors revealed that Smith’s addiction to drugs led her to sell her daughter for 20,000 rand (approximately $1,100). During the trial, Smith and her co-defendants refused to testify, and on May 2, a verdict was reached declaring that the young girl had been sold into slavery. The implications of this decision underscore the tragedy of the situation, particularly as her whereabouts remain unknown.
In a statement following the sentencing, Eric Ntabazalila of the National Prosecuting Authority emphasized that the missing girl deserved a voice — one that was represented in court, even in her absence. The girl’s paternal grandmother, Rita Yon, expressed ongoing grief, lamenting the uncertainty surrounding Joshlin’s fate and the emotional toll on her family. "We are still missing Joshlin," Yon told Newzroom Afrika. "It doesn’t feel nice not knowing where she is, what she eats or drinks and how the people who have her treat her."
With many questions left unanswered, the case continues to haunt South Africa as the search for Joshlin Smith persists.
