Joshlin Smith's grandmother battling ‘mental anguish’ after daughter gets life sentence

The weight of her daughter’s betrayal and the ongoing anguish of not knowing what happened to her granddaughter has taken a devastating toll on Amanda Smith-Daniels, the grandmother of missing six-year-old Joshlin Smith.

Smith-Daniels says she was grappling with deep psychological trauma after her daughter, Racquel “Kelly” Smith was sentenced to life in prison for trafficking her child.

In an emotional interview, Smith-Daniels revealed that she has been admitted to a psychiatric facility for treatment for severe depression.

“I must deal with psychologists and psychiatrists. I have to work on my mental health because it’s too much,” she said.

“My pillow is riddled with tears. Every night I lie awake praying for Joshlin.”

Joshlin went missing from her home in Middelpos, Saldanha Bay, on February 19, 2024.

According to Smith, she left her daughter in the care of her boyfriend Jacquen “Boeta” Appollis while she went to work.

When she returned home, Joshlin was gone. A massive search effort was launched, but over a year later, the little girl has still not been found.

Following months of court proceedings, Kelly Smith, her co-accused, Appollis, and their friend Steveno 'Steffie' van Rhyn were convicted and sentenced to life for human trafficking and 10 years for kidnapping.

A fourth accused, Lourentia “Renz” Lombaard, turned State witness.

Since the sentencing, Smith-Daniels says her daughter has cut all ties with her - even sending police officers to deliver the message that she wanted no further contact.

“I haven’t seen her since she was sentenced,” she said. “She blames me, I think, for what I said in court. But I only told the truth.”

Her victim impact statement, delivered by Court Preparation Officer Deonett Boltney, laid bare the emotional destruction caused by her daughter's actions.

“Kelly, you’ve come to make our lives hell on earth,” the statement read.

“You came to break us and tear us apart. Do you know what it’s like to lie awake every night? My heart is ripped out of my body because I pray for Joshlin.”

In the same statement, Smith-Daniels recalled how Smith's son wished her a happy Mother’s Day, while she was behind bars.

“Didn’t you wish you had your three children with you? I’m the one who prays with him at night, who helps him with his homework.”

With Smith in prison and Joshlin still missing, Smith-Daniels is now responsible for raising the two other children, Rachelle and Racquen. She has yet to tell Rachelle the full truth.

“She (Rachelle) was such a bright little girl. At night, when I got up to use the bathroom, she would fly up, arms stretched out, asking where I was going. I had to pick her up because she was afraid I’d leave her. It broke me every time,” she said in the statement.

“Sometimes when she was playing, she would stop and say: ‘Mommy, you know my sister is gone and my mom too'."

“She’s too young to understand. I just told her we’re going to find her sister and that her mommy will come back. Only Racquen knows the truth. I’ve taken him to psychologists to help him cope,” said on Smith-Daniels.

Smith-Daniels said she now lives with constant fear and anxiety for the safety of her grandchildren.

“It weighs heavily on me every morning when I wake them for school. I feel like I need to be at the school all day to make sure nothing happens to them.”

Her daily life is a battle with trauma, made worse by the uncertainty over Joshlin’s fate.

“Even though there’s no good news about Joshlin yet, I still believe the police haven’t given up. I believe in Captain Lombard,” she said, referring to the lead investigator in the case.

Joshlin’s disappearance shocked the nation and led to widespread calls for action against child trafficking and abuse.

Over the course of the trial, 35 State witnesses were called, and a trial-within-a-trial was held to examine the admissibility of confessions allegedly obtained under duress.

Judge Nathan Erasmus ultimately found that Smith had willingly handed over her child to be trafficked.

In handing down the life sentence, Erasmus said her actions were motivated by greed.

As the case draws national attention, Smith-Daniels was trying to find a way forward. But she says the pain will never go away - not until Joshlin is found.

“I still remember the day we realised she was gone. I thought she would be found that same night. That was my prayer.”

Though exhausted by grief, she was grateful for those who continue to support the family and help search for Joshlin.

“Thank you to everyone who still remembers her name and fights for her. Please don’t stop.”

The police confirmed that they were still searching for Joshlin.