The search for Joshlin Smith, a six-year-old girl who went missing in Saldanha Bay two years ago, continues with no new leads despite social media claims that her remains have been discovered. Police have condemned these claims, urging social media users to verify information before sharing it.
A social media post alleged that a private team, using a device and a cadaver dog, found decomposed remains in the Saldanha dunes, which were confirmed to belong to Joshlin. However, police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk denied these claims, stating that they have not found any evidence of Joshlin’s remains.
Debunking the Social Media Hoax
The social media post mentioned Danie Krugel, a retired cop who claimed to have located possible remains of girls who disappeared decades ago in Johannesburg. Krugel’s claims were related to the case of Gert van Rooyen, a notorious paedophile and serial killer. However, Van Wyk emphasized that the current social media claims are false and cause unnecessary distress to the family and community.
Joshlin’s mother, Kelly Smith, and her co-accused Jacquen “Boeta” Appollis and Steveno “Steffie” van Rhyn were sentenced to life imprisonment for human trafficking and 10 years for kidnapping. The sentences are being served concurrently, and the three have been placed on the national child protection register, as stated on the South African Government website.
Investigation Continues
Meanwhile, a badly decomposed body was discovered in an open field in Jacobsbaai, but Van Wyk said that the body is that of an unidentified adult man. The extreme weather conditions have made it impossible to identify the body, and a postmortem will be conducted to determine the cause of death, age, and race of the person.
During the launch of the Joshlin Smith Foundation in Saldanha Bay, PA leader Dayton McKenzie expressed his belief that Joshlin is still alive. The foundation aims to support the family and community in their search for Joshlin.
- The search for Joshlin Smith continues with no new leads.
- Social media claims of finding her remains have been debunked by the police.
- The community is urged to verify information before sharing it on social media.
