Kelly Smith, the mother of the missing six-year-old Joshlin, said she and her boyfriend Jacquin Appollis needed police protection after they were targeted by an angry mob following suspicions of their involvement in the child’s disappearance.
Smith said the community became angry and erupted into violence after the search for Joshlin was put on hold, prompting threats against her and Appollis.
Also read: Boyfriend of Joshlin’s mother speaks out: ‘It’s not me’
‘The police had to protect us, and they had nowhere to protect us. So, they put us in the police station – that’s the only safe house that they had because the community wanted to hurt me and Boeta [Appollis].’
‘They believe I know something about my child’s disappearance, and I know nothing, not even Boeta, none of us know anything about it.’
Joshlin was first reported missing on Tuesday, 20 February, when she vanished from her home in Middelpos, Saldanha Bay. The young girl was left in the care of Appollis, who recently reported that, although he does not know what happened to Joshlin, he feels responsible for her disappearance.
Smith denied any involvement in her daughter’s disappearance, asserting that neither she nor Appollis possessed any knowledge of the event.
Rewards totalling more than R100 000 have been offered to anyone with information on her whereabouts.
Also read:
SAPS puts search for missing Saldanha Bay girl Joshlin Smith on hold
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