Forums · recycling graves!!
Gruesome Photos, Video Show Vaults, Bodies Discarded in Woods Behind Cemetery
Thursday, December 20, 2001
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. Attorneys suing a cemetery company accused of recycling graves showed grisly photos and video footage Thursday of crushed burial vaults and human remains discarded in the woods.
They also presented internal documents they say show Menorah Gardens & Funeral Chapels in West Palm Beach and its owner, Houston-based Service Corporation International, were aware of the grave desecrations. SCI is the world's largest cemetery company.
The attorneys represent 10 families who say their loved ones were dug up and dumped in the woods, buried in the wrong graves or buried in vaults on top of each other instead of side by side as the families had paid for. More than 1,000 people could become part of the class-action lawsuit, they said.
"That body that is placed to rest for eternity is now destroyed, maligned, abused," said attorney Ervin A. Gonzalez.
SCI officials did not immediately return a call Thursday but said Wednesday that they had no knowledge of any wrongdoing.
The state attorney general's office is investigating Menorah Gardens and four other South Florida cemeteries owned by SCI.
A videotape and photos taken by private investigators showed a leg bone beside chunks of a concrete vault, in which coffins are placed. They also show Jewish burial shrouds, and a Star of David next to finger bones.
A former cemetery worker led investigators to the remains, attorneys said.
Remarks in the burial book, obtained from former employees, included "no room for spouse," "move Mrs. Kolin" and "dig this grave double deep." Another handwritten note said: "Where are Lippitis and who are Haskells and are they both deceased? Move Haskell marker."
The pages show "there are several hundred people who have purchased graves, premium contracts purchased years ago, that do not have a place to be laid to rest," said co-counsel Neal Hirschfeld.
Myra Stone of Lake Worth said her parents bought side-by-side graves in 1982. Her father died in 1994, but another man allegedly was buried next to him in her mother's grave. When her mother died last year, the cemetery's operators dug up the man's vault and threw most of his remains in the woods, according to a former employee.
"I understand that some of his remains are still in her grave," Stone said. "I am just horrified."
The lawsuit, filed Wednesday, seeks unspecified damages.
"We've investigated allegations that we thought too heinous to be accurate, too horrible to be true, over the last several years," Hirschfeld said.
Story from: http://foxnews.com/story/0,2933,41298,00.html[/URL]
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This can't be good! Can you imagine how many restless souls there are over this!? Horrible..
Kell
Thursday, December 20, 2001
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. Attorneys suing a cemetery company accused of recycling graves showed grisly photos and video footage Thursday of crushed burial vaults and human remains discarded in the woods.
They also presented internal documents they say show Menorah Gardens & Funeral Chapels in West Palm Beach and its owner, Houston-based Service Corporation International, were aware of the grave desecrations. SCI is the world's largest cemetery company.
The attorneys represent 10 families who say their loved ones were dug up and dumped in the woods, buried in the wrong graves or buried in vaults on top of each other instead of side by side as the families had paid for. More than 1,000 people could become part of the class-action lawsuit, they said.
"That body that is placed to rest for eternity is now destroyed, maligned, abused," said attorney Ervin A. Gonzalez.
SCI officials did not immediately return a call Thursday but said Wednesday that they had no knowledge of any wrongdoing.
The state attorney general's office is investigating Menorah Gardens and four other South Florida cemeteries owned by SCI.
A videotape and photos taken by private investigators showed a leg bone beside chunks of a concrete vault, in which coffins are placed. They also show Jewish burial shrouds, and a Star of David next to finger bones.
A former cemetery worker led investigators to the remains, attorneys said.
Remarks in the burial book, obtained from former employees, included "no room for spouse," "move Mrs. Kolin" and "dig this grave double deep." Another handwritten note said: "Where are Lippitis and who are Haskells and are they both deceased? Move Haskell marker."
The pages show "there are several hundred people who have purchased graves, premium contracts purchased years ago, that do not have a place to be laid to rest," said co-counsel Neal Hirschfeld.
Myra Stone of Lake Worth said her parents bought side-by-side graves in 1982. Her father died in 1994, but another man allegedly was buried next to him in her mother's grave. When her mother died last year, the cemetery's operators dug up the man's vault and threw most of his remains in the woods, according to a former employee.
"I understand that some of his remains are still in her grave," Stone said. "I am just horrified."
The lawsuit, filed Wednesday, seeks unspecified damages.
"We've investigated allegations that we thought too heinous to be accurate, too horrible to be true, over the last several years," Hirschfeld said.
Story from: http://foxnews.com/story/0,2933,41298,00.html[/URL]
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This can't be good! Can you imagine how many restless souls there are over this!? Horrible..
Kell
What's the appropiate punishment for something like this? How can you apply a punishment that fits this crime?
Take away all his worldy possessions of the people responsible.
Digging up his relatives sounds like it might be any eye for an eye solution but the no one should have to pay for the sins of a relative.
Take away all his worldy possessions of the people responsible.
Digging up his relatives sounds like it might be any eye for an eye solution but the no one should have to pay for the sins of a relative.
Greetings Kell,
I saw on the news the other evening that they found one of the main individuals responsible for this desicration of graves, dead from an apparent suicide. In the garage with the car running was the report. Now I'm wondering, Did he have an attack of conscious? Was he that worried about the laws retribution? or Did the poor misfortunate souls that he treated with so much disrespect have their way with him?
Just wanted to let you know. It does give a person reason to ponder.
=)
[ January 07, 2002: Message edited by: Hartless ]
I saw on the news the other evening that they found one of the main individuals responsible for this desicration of graves, dead from an apparent suicide. In the garage with the car running was the report. Now I'm wondering, Did he have an attack of conscious? Was he that worried about the laws retribution? or Did the poor misfortunate souls that he treated with so much disrespect have their way with him?
Just wanted to let you know. It does give a person reason to ponder.
=)
[ January 07, 2002: Message edited by: Hartless ]
Hi Hartless,
Yes, I heard about this guy's suicide. I'm thinking it was an attack of conscience - but who knows if maybe he didn't get a little help from those he disturbed! Oooh... I can't imagine being able to live with oneself after doing something like this....
Kell
[ January 07, 2002: Message edited by: KellKell ]
Yes, I heard about this guy's suicide. I'm thinking it was an attack of conscience - but who knows if maybe he didn't get a little help from those he disturbed! Oooh... I can't imagine being able to live with oneself after doing something like this....
Kell
[ January 07, 2002: Message edited by: KellKell ]
>:-(
And, don't you know that the reason for doing such a thing all boils down to money! Evidently they didn't want to have to buy more land to grow the cemetery... they just recycled the graves, and sold the plot space to someone else! I sure wouldn't want anyone I know to be laid to rest in a place like this... this is just too creepy for words. No wonder the man committed suicide... taking the easy way out? He might not "Rest In Peace".
I hope an eternity of torture is in store for him!
azspirit
And, don't you know that the reason for doing such a thing all boils down to money! Evidently they didn't want to have to buy more land to grow the cemetery... they just recycled the graves, and sold the plot space to someone else! I sure wouldn't want anyone I know to be laid to rest in a place like this... this is just too creepy for words. No wonder the man committed suicide... taking the easy way out? He might not "Rest In Peace".
I hope an eternity of torture is in store for him!
azspirit