Tiffany Meek, the mother of 11-year-old Jayden-Lee Meek, appeared briefly at the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court on Monday following her arrest for his murder. The 31-year-old woman was taken into custody on Friday, 11 July 2025.
Tiffany Meek appears in court for son’s murder
During her court appearance, Meek indicated her intention to apply for bail. The court has postponed the matter for a bail verification process. This process will involve checking whether releasing her on bail would be fair and safe for the public.
A separate bail hearing will then be held to decide if she should be conditionally released while awaiting trial.
Police, before Monday’s shocking unveiling, had only described the suspect as Jayden’Lee’s close family member.
“A 31-year-old close family member of Jayden-Lee Meek was arrested following extensive investigations by Florida detectives with the assistance of the Provincial Investigative Unit and Tracking Team,’ according to Gauteng police spokesperson Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi in a statement released on Friday.
What happened to Jayden-Lee Meek?
Jayden-Lee Meek was reported missing on the evening of Tuesday, 13 May 2025, after he was dropped off by his school transport at home in Fleurhof, Johannesburg. At the time, he was still wearing his school uniform.
When he failed to return home, his family alerted the Florida Police Station, sparking a search involving both police and members of the local Community Policing Forum (CPF). The CPF assisted by circulating a missing child poster on social media and among residents.
The next morning, on Wednesday, 14 May 2025, Jayden-Lee was found dead in a block of flats in the area. He was discovered with visible bruises and signs of trauma, including multiple injuries, on a staircase within the residential complex.
Community members and the family expressed concern over the way the scene was handled. According to the family, when they arrived, police had not secured the area properly.
“There were people walking around on that spot. Now, when they brought the dogs, the dogs are walking past the spot because it is contaminated,” one relative said.
The family, unaware of the proximity of the suspect at the time, also criticised police for not conducting a thorough search of the building.
“They don’t want to go door-to-door to check if there is evidence. We’ve been fighting with them. We had to ask for information,” the family lambasted.
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