Court hears boy was found wearing only underwear, lying just metres from his front door
Image: Kamogelo Moichela/IOL
Tiffany Meek appeared in the Roodepoort Magistrate's Court on Monday for the continuation of her bail hearing.
Meek, 31, from Fleurhof faces charges of murder of her 11-year-old son Jayden-Lee Meek, crimen injuria, attempting to defeat or obstruct the course of justice, and defeating or obstructing the administration of justice.
Meek previously told the court she could afford R5,000 bail and gave an alternative address in Meadowland in KwaZulu-Natal should she be granted bail.
Prosecutor Olga Mapokgole called investigating officer, Sergeant Linda Duma, to the stand to testify. He confirmed Meek had no previous convictions.
Jayden-Lee Meek, 11, was returning home from school when he disappeared from inside his apartment complex.
Image: Supplied
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The court heard Jayden-Lee was reported missing at the police station at 7.30pm on May 13, 2025. He was expected to be back home from school at 3.30pm.
The investigating officer said Meek told police she was working from home and when she realised her son was not home, she contacted her mother to call the scholar transport as she did not have airtime.
Once her statement was taken, Meek and police went to the scholar transport driver's home to question him on the child's whereabouts. The driver said he had dropped Jayden-Lee. The man's house was also searched but nothing was found.
Police, Meek, and family went to Swazi Place Complex to ask security if he had seen anything, but he referred them to his colleague, who had worked the day shift and knocked off at 6pm.
'The security guard was asked if he saw the child and he said yes. It was during this time the applicant (Meek) interrupted him, stating he was not telling the truth. The security guard insisted he saw him as he was the one who opened for him with the remote control,' the court heard.
Police also went to question a peer of Jayden-Lee who was dropped after him. The boy remembered Jayden-Lee was dropped off because he had to open the bus door from the outside. They waited until the boy had entered the complex before they took off.
'Police went back to the complex. They searched the complex and found nothing. They searched the streets of Fleurhof and found nothing. They then went back to the main entrance of the complex at about midnight. They told the family there was nothing more they could do for the day. They stated the investigating officer would be in touch with them and police would assist with searches in the morning,' the court heard.
The police sergeant also revealed explosive evidence that contradicted a previous statement made by Meek who claimed to have spent the night at her mother's house in Florida until she was notified of her son's body being discovered the next morning (May 14, 2025).
The officer read out the statement of the nightshift security guard who rubbished Meek's claims.
'She (Meek) returned home. She entered the gate, and she was alone. She told me she is going to take a bath. Change her clothes and go back to the police station. I asked her before she went to the police station if she wants to assist with searching vehicles parked in the complex. She agreed and went to her flat. I searched the cars.
"As I was searching at about 5.30am, the mother of the missing child told me she could not help with searches as she was heading to the police station. I opened the gate for her and she walked away and disappeared in the dark,' the security guard's statement read.
Meek sat in the dock, shaking her head, as the statement was read out.
The security guard further told police that shortly after, he was approached by a resident who informed him that Jayden-Lee was found lying on the floor, on the first floor, near the staircase.
'The security guard rushed to the area. When he got there, he was naked, only wearing underwear. He was found just behind the pillar. He said when he looked at the child, his eyes were not moving. The child felt cold. A resident brought a blanket and covered the child. They felt for a pulse but there was no pulse. There were no signs of life," the court heard.
It was also established Jayden-Lee's body was found approximately eight to 10 metres from where he lived.
The court heard residents made calls to the mother for an ambulance. Police said they were also notified by a resident who left the complex daily at 5.30am stating the child's body was not lying near the stairs at her time of departure.
The case continues.
robin.francke@iol.co.za
IOL
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