Sergeant Meyer Milstein from the Vredeburg Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit revealed that investigators discovered blood-like stains on a pillowcase and bed sheet during the search for missing six-year-old Joshlin Smith. The unsettling revelations came during the ongoing court proceedings concerning Joshlin’s mysterious disappearance, with the case casting a shadow over the small community of Middelpos.
Sergeant Milstein, boasting 15 years of experience in the South African Police Service (SAPS), was called to testify yesterday. He described how he arrived in the tranquil Morreesburg area around 1pm on February 20, 2024, initiating his critical role in the investigation following an initial search conducted by responding officers.
Upon arrival, Milstein was introduced to Kelly Smith, Joshlin’s mother, and learned that her six-year-old daughter was missing. “I learned the mother’s name was Ms Kelly Smith, and I also learnt the child is Joshlin Smith, who was six years old at the time,” he stated. He recounted how he conducted a brief interview with Kelly at her residence, where she revealed that her boyfriend, Jacquen Appollis, was the last person to see Joshlin while she had left the child in his care.
In a bid to unravel the layers of this troubling case, Milstein collected a statement from Appollis, followed by an immediate deployment of crucial resources including the K9 Unit, a search and rescue dog, and a biology dog trained to detect bodily fluids.
During the search of the residence, a shack that had housed the family, Sergeant Milstein detailed a critical discovery. “We searched the residence and the biology dog identified a pillowcase and a bed sheet. We inspected it and it had stains that resembled blood. These items were collected by members of the Local Criminal Record Centre (LCRC),” he testified. Furthermore, he disclosed finding a child-sized pink flip flop which aligned with descriptions of Joshlin’s clothing given by her mother.
Kelly Smith had reportedly left her two older children in Appollis’s care while she worked, only to return home and discover that Joshlin had vanished. She promptly reported the case to the police that evening. “She informed me Joshlin’s brother was also left in Appollis’ care. The younger sister went to creche. The reason provided for the children not going to school was that the children were sick,” said Milstein.
The sergeant described the atmosphere during his conversations, stating that Kelly appeared “relatively calm” during their initial meeting. In contrast, he noted that Appollis exhibited a “neutral” demeanour. Milstein painted a vivid image of the shack’s interior: “It’s subdivided into two rooms…it was very messy. The room had a big bed,” he explained, clarifying that the bed sheet and pillowcase they collected came from this singular bed. He noted that the items bore blood stains but were not soaked and described them as having smudges.
The courtroom was electric as the community listened to these harrowing details. An inspection in loco, where the judge and legal counsels visited the locations important to the case, was also briefed yesterday morning. It reinforced numerous testimonies given earlier in court about the environment surrounding Joshlin’s disappearance.
As the day’s proceedings continued, tensions escalated. Residents of the area, frustrated and desperate for answers, confronted Smith outside the courtroom and cried out, “Where is Joshlin? We want Joshlin!” Many expressed their anger openly, while Smith was visibly emotional as she was escorted to a police van.
Sergeant Milstein’s testimony has set the stage for a deeper investigation into Joshlin’s disappearance, with legal experts poised for further insights as the case unfolds. Milstein is scheduled to continue his evidence-in-chief tomorrow.