Girl, 6, Disappeared Last Year — Now Mom Is Convicted of Selling Her for Her 'Eyes and Skin'

• A 6-year-old girl went missing in South Africa last year
• The 6-year-old girl’s mother has now been convicted of kidnapping and trafficking
• The young girl, Joshlin Smith, has yet to be found

A South African mother and two others were convicted on Friday on kidnapping and trafficking charges after authorities say she possibly sold her daughter to a local healer who wanted the 6-year-old child for her eye and skin color.

Reuters reported that Kelly Smith was convicted on Friday, May 2, of trafficking her 6-year-old daughter, Joshlin Smith, who went missing in February 2024.

The BBC also reported that Smith’s boyfriend, Jacquen Appollis, and the couple’s friend, Steveno van Rhyn, were also found guilty on kidnapping and trafficking charges related to Joshlin’s disappearance.

A neighbor testified in Smith’s trial that shortly before Joshlin vanished, the mother had confided in her about plans to sell her daughter to a traditional healer who “wanted her for her eyes and skin,” according to the BBC.

Smith, Appollis, and van Rhyn all denied involvement in the disappearance of the girl.

Smith’s neighbor, Lourentia Lombaard, testified during the trial that the mother had told her she “did something silly” and “sold my child to a sangoma.” Lombaard then reportedly told the court Smith offered money to her and others who knew about the plan to sell Joshlin in exchange for their silence, according to the BBC.

The outlet reported that Joshlin’s teacher also testified during the trial, telling the court that she inquired about where Joshlin had been and that Smith had told her she was “on a ship, inside a container, and they were on the way to West Africa.”

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The BBC also previously reported that a woman who was believed to be a healer had been arrested and questioned during the search for Joshlin but was later released because of a lack of evidence.

The outlet reported Friday that Smith broke into tears when her guilty verdict was read, as observers in the courtroom largely began applauding the court’s decision. 

Smith, Appollis and van Rhyn all face a possibility of life in prison, according to the BBC.

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.