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Tiffany Meek Denies Killing Son Jayden-Lee During Emotional Bail Hearing

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1 month ago

July 18, 2025

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Tiffany Meek has denied murdering her 11-year-old son, Jayden-Lee Meek, during her tearful bail application at the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court. The 31-year-old mother is facing charges of murder, crimen injuria, and attempting to defeat the course of justice.

Meek made her second appearance in court on Friday, represented by private attorney Noven Naidoo, while the State is represented by prosecutor Olga Mapokgole and presided over by Magistrate Annelin Africa.

In a courtroom filled with tension and grief, Meek sobbed as the prosecutor detailed the charges against her. According to the State’s case, she allegedly struck Jayden-Lee with a blunt object, yet to be identified. Forensic evidence shows he was killed in his home, with blood found on his bed, school clothes, bag, and books.

Jayden-Lee’s body was found the following morning on a staircase near their apartment. Meek, in her affidavit supporting her bail bid, expressed disbelief over being charged with her son’s murder.

“I fail to understand how I am charged with murder of my son when I was the one fighting for suspects to be found,” the affidavit reads. “I deny any wrongdoing and deny any offence against me.”

She stated that on the day of his disappearance, she was working from home. When Jayden-Lee didn’t return, she had no airtime and asked her mother to contact the school transport service. The driver confirmed he dropped off the boy at 4:45 pm.

Meek claimed she attempted to report him missing that evening, but police told her she had to wait 24 hours. Officers allegedly refused to search the apartment complex after 9 pm due to a lack of search warrants.

She said Jayden-Lee was found at 6 am, yet she was only informed almost an hour later. In her affidavit, Meek said, “My son could still have been alive if he had been taken to hospital immediately or if an ambulance had responded.”

She also claimed the school bag and books with bloodstains were only found two days later, on May 16, asserting that she is being framed. “If this were true, I would have been arrested immediately and not a month later,” she added.

The court also heard that Meek previously accused the school transport driver of involvement in the case, an allegation the State says was false and led to an unlawful search of the man’s home.

Meek, who works as an executive assistant at the JumpStart Foundation and is the primary breadwinner in her family, insisted she is not a flight risk and never attempted to flee, even after learning she was a suspect.

“I do not fear standing trial as I believe justice will prevail,” she said.

Outside the courtroom, community members voiced their outrage, demanding that she face consequences and offering to pay her bail, only to ensure she answers to them directly.

“She killed her child, and now she must answer to the community,” one angry resident said.

Jayden-Lee was last seen alive on May 13, 2025. Meek was arrested on July 11 at her mother’s house. The bail proceedings continue as South Africans watch the case unfold with heartbreak and disbelief.