The search for Joshlin Smith, the six-year-old girl who disappeared over a month ago, has intensified and now spans multiple countries.
Authorities in South Africa, working in collaboration with Interpol and other international agencies, are continuing to follow up on leads outside the country’s borders.
Search for Joshlin Smith goes international
The disappearance of Joshlin Smith on Monday, 19 February 2024, has led to an extensive and increasingly international search effort.
Following a tip from a concerned couple in Gauteng, the police conducted a thorough search of the Panamanian ship Frontier Asuka, which had departed from Saldanha Bay shortly after Joshlin was reported missing.
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The vessel was tracked down to Port Talbot in Wales, where it was searched over two days, between 16 and 17 March 2024. Despite the efforts of law enforcement, no evidence of Joshlin was found on the ship.
Mark Hageman, who along with his wife Anouschika played a crucial role in tracking the ship, expressed mixed feelings about the outcome.
“Although Joshlin was not found, we felt relieved, and it was as if a burden was lifted off our shoulders because we, like all South Africans, want to know what happened to Joshlin,” he said.
Bloody clothes not linked to missing six-year-old
In a parallel development, Police Minister Bheki Cele provided an update regarding bloody clothing found in a field near Saldanha Bay, initially suspected to be connected to Joshlin.
DNA tests have conclusively determined that the clothing did not belong to her.
“Unfortunately, the DNA on the pieces of clothes that were found didn’t indicate that those clothes belong to Joshlin. When it came back from the laboratory, it came back negative,” Cele explained in a recent television interview.
When will Joshlin Smith case return to court?
The legal proceedings related to Joshlin’s disappearance are ongoing.
The suspects, including Joshlin’s mother, Racquel “Kelly” Smith, her boyfriend Jacquen Appollis, and associates Steveno van Rhyn and Phumza Sigaqa, were arrested on 5 March 2024.
They face charges of human trafficking and kidnapping.
One suspect, Sigaqa, was released due to insufficient evidence, while a new suspect, Lourentia Lombaard, was detained after reportedly confessing to involvement in the case.
All remaining suspects have waived their right to bail and are due to appear in court again on 13 May 2024.
