Saps asks public not to post info on hunt for child
As the search for missing six-year-old Joslin Smith intensifies, South African Police Services (Saps) investigators are urging the public to refrain from spreading false information about the incident.
Today marks two weeks since the Grade 1 pupil disappeared from her home in Saldanha Bay in the Western Cape while in the care of her mother’s boyfriend.
The hunt for Smith is intensifying in Saldanha with an identified area in Diazville subdivided into zones as part of the coordinated search.
Police said the search party has also been bolstered by a contingent from the local South African Navy and another large group from the City of Cape Town deployed from yesterday to the area.
Spokesperson Brigadier Novela Potelwa said the Saldanha Bay municipality’s firefighters are also playing a pivotal role by applying their expertise in the search. “The efforts from all the role players are enhanced by drones from the Saps and the City of Cape Town.”
Meanwhile, scores of neighbourhood watch members, community-based organisations and residents have also been working around the clock in the quest to find the child.
Western Cape police have found pieces of clothing with blood stains, allegedly belonging to Smith.
It is understood the bloodstained clothes were found in an open field on Saturday night. “Items found during a search over the weekend have been sent to the Plattekloof forensic laboratory for analysis as part of the investigation,” Potelwa said. “A humble plea is hereby made by the Saps investigators to members of the public to refrain from spreading false information on social media and desist from recording the searches as this may adversely impact the investigation.
“The primary focus should be to find Joslin or what happened to her,” Potelwa said.
Primary focus should be to find Joslin