South Africa’s navy has joined the search for six-year-old Joslin Smith, who disappeared from outside her home in Saldanha Bay, near Cape Town, two weeks ago.
The 300 naval officers join rescuers from the City of Cape Town, a dog unit and drones in the desperate search which has left many puzzled as to why she is still yet to be found, as a child goes missing every five hours in South Africa, but most are found.
Investigators are, however, confident of a breakthrough after bloodied clothing was found in an open field nearby on Saturday,
Joslin was left in the care of her mother’s boyfriend, Jacquin Appollis, in an informal settlement, when she went missing and the couple have been accused by some community members of having a hand in their daughter’s disappearance, a charge they have both denied.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Novela Potelwa, who revealed that the naval officers were dispatched on Monday to help follow any leads, said that the couple have since been moved to a safehouse for their own safety.
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