Four suspects arrested in connection to Joshlin Smith disappearance due in court

CAPE TOWN - Four suspects arrested in connection with the disappearance of six-year-old Joshlin Smith in Saldanha Bay will appear in court on Thursday morning.

The little girl went missing from her Middelpos home about two weeks ago while in the care of her mother's boyfriend.

ALSO READ:

- WC police confirm development in Joshlin Smith investigation

- Detectives questioning four people linked to the disappearance of Joshlin Smith, police confirm

- Missing Joshlin Smith: Saldanha Bay community panicked and frustrated

Western Cape police have since confirmed that detectives brought in four people for questioning as part of an extensive investigation into the disappearance of six-year-old

Over the weekend, search parties found two sets of blood-stained items at separate locations, which have since been taken for forensic testing.

However, the child is still missing.

Western Cape provincial Police Commissioner Thembisile Patekile said allegations that Joshlin might have been trafficked and sold were being investigated.

Missing Children South Africa also confirmed there was an increase in minors reported missing in the Western Cape recently.

A21, a non-governmental that oversees South Africa's human trafficking hotline, said child trafficking was increasing in the province.

"Of the calls that came through to the hotline, about 22.9% of the calls referred to cases of child trafficking where a minor was implicated in the case reported. That's a 12% increase from the previous reporting year,” said A21's Katie Modrau.

Modrau said sex trafficking cases are widely reported to the hotline.