Joshlin Smith’s mother’s house was burnt down to the ground after she was found guilty of kidnapping and trafficking yesterday.
The Middelpos home where missing child Joshlin Smith once resided with her mother Kelly Smith was completely destroyed by fire on Friday, shortly after Smith’s conviction for her role in the six-year-old’s disappearance.
Smith was found guilty alongside two co-accused – her boyfriend Jacques Appollis and acquaintance Steveno van Rhyn – in a case that has horrified South Africans since Joshlin vanished in February 2024.
Police Investigating After Joshlin Smith’s mother’s house is burnt down
Western Cape police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Malcolm Pojie verified that authorities have opened an arson case following the intentional burning of the Saldanha property.
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Joshlin Smith’s mother’s house burnt down (Image Credit: News24)“Saldanha SAPS is investigating the deliberate destruction of Kelly Smith’s home through fire. One adult female has been detained for questioning regarding the incident,” Pojie stated.
Courtroom Drama Precedes Property Destruction
The conviction was delivered by Judge Nathan Erasmus at a packed White City Multipurpose Centre, where emotional spectators cheered when the court confirmed Joshlin had been traded by the perpetrators.
Joshlin’s disappearance sixteen months ago triggered an extensive search operation across the West Coast region, ultimately leading investigators to her mother and associates.
Search Continues for Missing Child
Western Cape Police Commissioner General Thembisile Patekile emphasized that efforts to locate Joshlin remain ongoing, despite the convictions. The nation is also on the lookout for the young girl who has had media on chokehold ever since she disappeared.
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“Our teams continue pursuing all leads to find this green-eyed little girl,” Patekile assured reporters outside court.
The convicted trio remains in custody awaiting sentencing proceedings scheduled for May 9, 2025 at Saldanha Magistrate’s Court.