Eight Metres from Home: Jayden-Lee Meek’s Final Hours Spark Outrage as Court Hears Chilling Details

In a case that has shaken the Fleurhof community and gripped the country, the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court heard deeply disturbing testimony on Monday about the last known hours of 11-year-old Jayden-Lee Meek. The boy was found lifeless, dressed only in his underwear, just eight to ten metres from the front door of his home.

His mother, 31-year-old Tiffany Meek, is facing charges of murder, crimen injuria, and attempting to obstruct justice. She appeared again in court as her bail hearing resumed, and this time, the evidence was both heartbreaking and deeply contradictory.

A Mother’s Story Unravels

According to investigating officer Sergeant Linda Duma, Meek initially told police that she spent the night at her mother’s house in Florida, unaware of her son’s death until the next morning. But that version of events was flatly disputed in court, where a night shift security guard from the Swazi Place Complex stated that Meek had in fact returned home alone the night Jayden-Lee disappeared.

“She said she was going to take a bath, change her clothes, and head back to the police station,” the guard’s statement read aloud in court. He also claimed Meek briefly assisted in a search of the complex before telling him she needed to leave. She vanished into the dark shortly before 5:30am, just moments before another resident made the chilling discovery.

A Shocking Discovery

A resident, who left for work at 5:30am, confirmed to police that she had not seen anything near the stairs during her departure. But not long after, Jayden-Lee’s body was found lying behind a pillar on the first floor, just steps from his home. He was motionless, cold, and only wearing underwear. Residents tried to check for a pulse and covered him with a blanket, but there were no signs of life.

What has rattled many is how close the boy was to his front door, a mere stone’s throw away, and how he could have gone unnoticed for hours. The discovery has led to an outpouring of grief and anger in Fleurhof, with many neighbours expressing disbelief that he was so nearby the entire time.

Contradictions and Confusion

Jayden-Lee was last seen after being dropped off by his scholar transport around 3:30pm on 13 May 2025. His disappearance was only reported at the local police station around 7:30pm. Meek told police she was working from home that day and asked her mother to call the transport service, as she didn’t have airtime. The driver confirmed he dropped Jayden-Lee off and allowed another child to exit first so that the boy could open the bus door from outside, a claim that aligned with other children’s accounts.

Security personnel, residents, and police searched the complex and surrounding streets throughout the night. But nothing turned up until the early hours of 14 May.

One security guard testified that Meek had interrupted a conversation with his colleague when he said he had seen Jayden-Lee entering the complex, an exchange that raised eyebrows in court. Why was Meek so quick to challenge the guard’s account?

A Community Demands Answers

The Fleurhof community continues to mourn and seek clarity. Jayden-Lee’s tragic death, so close to home, under such suspicious circumstances, has left residents questioning everything. Why did it take so long to find him? How could his body have appeared so suddenly after hours of searching?

Social media has erupted in calls for justice. Many have questioned the adequacy of the initial search and whether enough was done during the critical first hours. Others have expressed sympathy for the young boy, with #JusticeForJayden trending on local platforms as the case develops.

Meek, who has no prior convictions, remains in custody. She has offered an alternative address in Meadowland, KwaZulu-Natal, if granted bail. The court is still to decide whether she will be released on the R5,000 bail she claims she can afford.

The Case Continues

As more testimony emerges, the contradictions in Meek’s account and the chilling proximity of her son’s final moments to his own home remain at the heart of the case.

The court has not yet reached a final decision on bail. For now, Fleurhof waits. A boy is gone, a family is shattered, and a community remains on edge.

Also read: Gauteng Braces for Week-Long Load Reduction as Eskom Tries to Save Strained Infrastructure

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Source: IOL

Featured Image: EWN