The kidnappers of a young girl in South Africa are demanding a Bitcoin ransom worth about $20,000 for her safe return.

Authorities have been searching for a missing 9-year-old girl in South Africa for several weeks. A Bitcoin ransom demand was sent to an anti-crime advocacy group, demanding that five bitcoins be paid for the girl’s safe return.

Young Girl Goes Missing

It’s every parent’s worst nightmare when a child of theirs disappears. The family of Linathi Titshala has been in a constant state of fear and worry since December 16th when the child vanished.

The little girl had turned 9 two days before and the grandmother had thrown her a birthday party on December 15th, after which Linathi Titshala slept over. The following day, she left to walk two houses down to where her family lived. She never arrived.

Bitcoin Ransom Demand

An anti-crime advocacy group, Western Cape Gangwatch, received an email containing the Bitcoin ransom. The email said:

Do you want to find Linathi Titshala. If you want her safe return you are to pay 5 Bitcoin to the following Bitcoin address. 1Bk4TQzDXhxGgMwrXcaFhViSyoT9GLk2kN. You have 48 hours should you not transfer the bitcoin in 48 hours we will cease communication. This email is going to be deleted in 12 hours.

The group tried to track the email but failed. A spokesman for Western Cape Gangwatch said:

We are trying to track it via the Bitcoin code, but believe the email the person is using was probably created at an internet cafe, which automatically deletes it and there is no IP address available either. Hopefully they realize the family’s circumstances and realize they cannot keep the girl for a lengthy period.

No other demands have come in, and the young girl has not been found. The Delft Community Policing Forum (CPF) and other groups are still looking for her, though. Charles George of the Delft CPF says:

We tried to pick up some kind of link, like a shoe or pants or a shirt or something, but there are different shoes and clothes all over the show, so it’s been very difficult. We do have the assistance of sniffer dogs as well, to assist us with the searching, but we remain positive.

From reports, it’s obvious that the family does not have the means to pay the ransom. All of us at BitcoinerX pray that the girl is found safe and returned to her family.

What do you think of this kidnapping and Bitcoin ransom demand? Let us know in the comments below.

Images courtesy of YouTube/@Eyewitness News, IOL, and Pixabay.