Joslin Smith's mother says police had to 'protect' her from angry Middlepos mob

Source: EWN Traffic
Author: Carlo Petersen

CAPE TOWN - Kelly Smith, the mother of missing six-year-old Joslin, said police needed to protect her from an angry mob after allegedly pointing fingers at her for her child's disappearance.

Smith said she had to be taken to a place of safety at a police station alongside her boyfriend, Jacquin Appollis.

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Little Joslin went missing last week Monday from her family home in Middelpos, Saldanha Bay.

Her mother said her boyfriend, who was supposed to be looking after the child, could not account for her whereabouts.

Tensions were running high in the Middelpos community on Tuesday as angry residents spoke of taking the law into their own hands after the search for Joslin was put on hold.

Smith said an angry mob went on a rampage in the community on Monday night, threatening to harm her and Appollis.

"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]."

Smith said the angry residents believe she had something to do with her daughter's disappearance.

"They believe I know something about my child's disappearance, and I know nothing, not even Boeta, none of us know anything about it."

Smith said she would never do anything to harm her child.