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The 11-year-old Jayden-Lee Meek was found undressed on the staircase of his complex where he lived.
11-year-old Jayden-Lee Meek, whose bruised body was found near his home in Fleurhof, west of Johannesburg, has been laid to rest.
The boy was found dead on the staircase of the complex where he lived in Fleurhof, over a week ago. No one has been arrested in connection with his death.
Family and friends gathered to bid Jayden-Lee a final farewell. However, it was a quiet and private ceremony, with the media not allowed anywhere near the funeral service or to take any footage.
Jayden-Lee’s death remains a mystery, and has left the community of Fleurhof and his family seeking answers and also questioning the police’s capabilities.
“When I got here and opened a report, nothing could be done because I didn’t have a picture. They sat around and made baseless calls; they did not conduct a search. We initiated a search ourselves. How much time was lost?” says his mother, Tiffany Meek.
Last week, the community marched to the Florida police station, calling for justice for Jayden-Lee.
The boy was dropped off by his school transport at the complex, but according to his mother, Tiffany, who works from home, her son never made it home.
The Grade Five pupil was found by a resident on the staircase of the complex the next day. As he was laid at his final resting place, for the family, their heartbreak continues as no arrests have been made so far.
Gauteng police spokesperson Mavela Masondo says, “An inquest docket that was opened after an eleven-year-old boy who was reported missing and later found deceased in Fleurhof has now been changed to murder. This follows an intensive investigation that has been done by the investigating team. We can confirm that the investigation is at an advanced stage. No arrests have been made so far.”
Jayden-Lee was laid to rest at the Westpark cemetery in Johannesburg on Saturday. His family awaits news of a breakthrough in the ongoing police investigations.
