Jayden-Lee’s Uncle Says the Family Is Broken by His Death, Owen Meek Demands Answers From Tiffany

• Jayden-Lee's uncle, Owen Meek, has opened up about his nephew's bright future and his tragic death
• Owen also shared his thoughts on Tiffany's arrest and detailed her behaviour after the murder
• The Meek family is demanding answers as they want to know who killed Jayden-Lee and why

Briefly News journalist Byron Pillay has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He spent 10 years working for the Northern Natal Courier before transitioning to online journalism.

GAUTENG – Jayden-Lee Meek had an exciting future ahead of him and was set to play football in Spain.

That’s according to his paternal uncle, Owen Meek, who has opened up about the youngster’s murder.

The 11-year-old was reported missing on 13 May 2025, and his body was found the following day on the stairwell outside his apartment in Fleurhof, Johannesburg.

He was rushed to the hospital, where he was declared dead, and his mother has since been arrested and charged with his murder.

What did the uncle say?

Speaking about his tragic death, Owen stated that his nephew was an aspiring footballer who had a chance to play overseas. He explained that on the day Jayden-Lee’s body was found, his parents were supposed to sign documents that would have seen him playing football in Spain.

He made the admission during a TikTok Live hosted by community activist Althea Cluff.

“Jayden was selected to play soccer in Spain. The day his parents were supposed to go sign the documents, they went to identify his body. How crushing is that? This is what we are doing to our next generation,” he said.

During the TikTok Live, Owen also spoke about the pain and confusion and shared his thoughts on Tiffany Meek’s arrest. Tiffany is Owen’s former sister-in-law.

What did he say about Tiffany?

While he said that he didn’t hate her, he maintained that she should not get bail and needed to talk.

“I don’t hate her. I believe she loved Jayden. But my gut says she did not act alone. She has to face the law. There are others involved, and she knows who. That’s why she cannot get bail,” Owen said.

He also detailed how rude she was after Jayden-Lee’s death, saying that she denied the boy’s father access to the body. He believes that this was part of her bigger plan to cover up what happened.

Owen added that with the community anger continuing to grow, it was crucial that Tiffany wasn’t given bail. The 31-year-old’s bail application will be held on Friday, 18 July 2025.

“If she gets bail, I fear for what might happen. She must be protected until she can talk. We need to know who helped her, why they did it, and what really happened to Jayden,” he stated.

What you need to know about Jayden-Lee’s death:

• The South African Police Service changed the initial inquest to a murder case on 25 May as investigations reached an advanced stage.
• A 31-year-old woman, who was later revealed to be Tiffany, was arrested in connection with the murder of the 11-year-old.
• Tiffany made her first appearance in the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court and was charged with the murder of her son.
• In an interview after his death, Tiffany demanded justice for her son and sent a warning to whoever was responsible for the murder.
• The Gauteng Department of Education said it would investigate allegations that Jayden-Lee was being abused.

Tiffany’s mother maintains daughter is innocent

Briefly News also reported that Tiffany Meek's mother, Debbie, expressed her support for her daughter.

Debbie maintained that her daughter was innocent and even blamed the police for the way they investigated the case.

Her reaction angered citizens online, as social media users criticised her for defending her daughter despite the evidence.

Source: Briefly News