Mother accused of killing son claims State is 'implicating' her

A GAUTENG mother, who is accused of killing her 11-year-old son, claimed the State was “trying to implicate her and the people closest to her”, and likened her case to that of missing child Joshlin Smith. 

This was heard during the bail application of Tiffany Nicole Meek in the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court in Johannesburg. 

Meek, 31, of Fleurhof, was arrested and charged with the murder of her son, Jayden-Lee Meek, who was reported missing on May 13. The next morning, the Grade 5 pupil was found lying metres away from the door of the home he lived in with Meek. 

She was arrested on July 11 at her mother’s home in Roodepoort where she had been residing over the past two months, and made her first appearance in court last Monday. 

Meek has also been charged with defeating or obstructing the administration of justice, crimen injuria, and attempting to defeat or obstruct the course of justice.

According to the charge sheet, the State alleged that Meek had unlawfully and intentionally killed Jayden-Lee by hitting or striking him with an unknown object, and as a result, he died of a blunt force head injury. 

The State said Jayden-Lee used what was colloquially known as school transport to travel between home and school, as arranged and paid for by Meek. 

It is alleged that on May 13, Jayden-Lee travelled to and from school using such transport. 

“He was collected at the complex gate in the morning and delivered at the gate in the afternoon.”

The State further alleged that later that day, Meek went to the Florida branch of the South African Police Service to report him as missing and that a docket was registered. 

A day later, Jayden-Lee was discovered by a security guard in a passage a few metres outside the residential unit. 

“The deceased was declared dead on arrival at the Discoverers Community Health Centre.”

Blood on the bed 

The State alleged that upon searching Meek’s residence that day, his bed had blood on it. 

“The deceased’s school clothing and bag were found in the accused house, with one of the school books having blood. Forensic analysis confirmed that the blood was of the deceased and various other evidence confirmed that the deceased was harmed in the house.” 

In an affidavit, read out by her legal representative Noven Naidoo, a former Durban attorney, Meek denied any wrongdoing and involvement in any of the offences contained in the charge sheet.

“I fail to understand how I could be charged with the murder of my son when I was the person fighting for answers from the police and doing everything possible to ensure that my child’s killer and/or killers are found and arrested.”

Meek said Jayden-Lee was normally dropped off by his school transport, between 3pm and 4pm. She said on May 13, he had failed to return home by 4pm, which was the time she stopped working.

Meek said she informed her mother, whom she had been chatting to, that he had not returned.

“Due to me not having airtime, I asked her to contact the transport owner and driver to ascertain if Jayden-Lee was dropped off, or if there was an accident or delay. My mother contacted the transporter and a while later she was informed that Jayden was dropped off around 2.45pm. 

"I started to panic and look for him around the complex. It was getting closer to 5pm and he had still not returned and could not be seen in the common area." 

Meek said she approached the day-shift guard and he informed her that he could not recall if Jayden-Lee had entered the complex.

She said the night-shift guard, who lived on the premises, confirmed that he saw Jayden-Lee enter the complex and he did not exit.

“We also confirmed with the child, who was dropped off after Jayden, and he confirmed that Jayden entered the complex.”

Meek said that evening, at around 7pm, her mother sent someone to pick her up and they went to the police station to report Jayden-Lee as “missing”. 

She said she thereafter returned to her complex with two police officers, but they “refused to go door to door and search for Jayden”. 

“We met four other officers on the way and a total of six officers came back with us. They first told us that it was too late to disturb the neighbours as it was around 9pm and thereafter told us they don’t have a search warrant.”

Threatened with arrest 

Meek said her brother, Cuan Dunn, then went to a few units and knocked on their doors, but was “threatened with arrest and had to stop”.

She said at about 6.50am the next day, she received a call from the transporter, who informed her that Jayden-Lee had been found at the complex.

“My sister, Simone, and her husband, took us over immediately. It should be noted that Jayden was found around 6am, yet we were only contacted at approximately 6.60am. No one bothered to call the ambulance or police or even rush my child to hospital, as he could have still been alive prior to our arrival.

“We took Jayden to Discovery Hospital in our vehicle, but he was pronounced 'dead on arrival'. My son could have still been alive if he was taken immediately for medical attention or if an ambulance had responded." 

Meek said Jayden-Lee's school bag and uniform was not found inside her flat on May 14 but two days later. 

“On 16th May 2025, we were contacted by the police and informed that they were unable to gather forensics and evidence on 14th May 2025, and they wanted access to the flat. The photographer was also present for the second time and this is when the entire case took a turn and I started to get framed for Jayden's murder.

“I was informed that his school bag, uniform, blood-stained underwear and bedsheets with his blood were found on 16th May 2025. It is highly improbable and impossible for the police to have not seen or found all these items, as alleged on 14th May 2025.

“Further, I am confident that the moment that Jayden’s blood-soaked clothes and school bag was found, I would have been arrested immediately, and not almost two months later by the police. I was even informed that Jayden's blood-soaked underwear was found in the bathtub on 16th May 2025. This is impossible as we had so many people use the bathroom on the 14th and 15th May 2025. Someone would have most definitely seen the underwear in the tub and alerted the police." 

Meek said she was sole-breadwinner for herself and Jayden-Lee. 

“Since his death, I have been living with my mother and brother and I provide financially for my family.”

Willing to cooperate 

Meek said she had an alternate address in Verulam, in Durban, a home which belonged to her father. She said she was not a flight risk and she and her family were willing to cooperate with the police from the onset. 

“On or about 24th June 2025, the police picked up my boyfriend, Riyaadhud-deen Booysens, from his home and took him to the police station. We were not sure whether he was placed under arrest, but the police took a swab sample of his saliva and later released him.

“On or about 4th July 2025, both Riyaadhud-deen and Leandro Meek, Jayden’s biological father, were taken to the Pretoria Cybercrimes Department to have the contents of their phones downloaded. To date, Riyaadhud-deen’s mobile phone has not been returned to him.

“It is evident that the state is trying to make this case out to be like the Joshlin Smith matter and are trying to implicate me and the people closest to me. After all of these arrests and interrogations, I still continued to live with my mother and never attempted to flee from the police. I was arrested at my mother’s place of residence and did not resist my arrest,” she said. 

Meek said she had no previous convictions or pending cases. 

The bail application continues. 

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