Grave Digging/Moving Graves

It’s a pretty guesome topic, but horror of all horrors, where I live (Chicago) there’s huge news story about folks digging up graves.  Even Emmett Till was moved (is nothing sacred?).  Apparently, the folks doing this were getting paid pretty well to move these graves. What do you guys think about this and is there anything we can do to make sure that our loved ones are, in fact, resting in peace?

Yes, I saw this tonight on the news. It’s horrible. I’m surprised, though, that they got away with it as long as they did. I would think that someone coming to visit a family member’s grave would have noticed it sooner, but maybe they only moved much older graves.

Yeah, you’d think so- I think that’s a pretty good point.  The whole thing’s just super creepy. I mean, the fact that they were trying to make money off of these people and the utter disregard for these souls (just dumping bodies)- it’s enough to make you shudder.

But it does raise the question, when you are buried, how can you be sure that the cemetery won’t move you?  What I mean to say is, is that something you can/should get in writing?

I heard about this.. it freaks me out.. after our daughter died, i had dreams of that happening… it is so scary to think that a person’s casket/body can be dug and moved, discarded, etc. etc..

Although this wouldn’t prevent a crime like the one in Chicago, many caskets today have small round canisters sealed in the case that includes a paper with the name of the deceased and vital info like their family tree. That at least helps identify the person in the casket if it ever got moved. I know this has been helpful in my state when a flood about a decade ago unearthed parts of local cemetaries.

I didn’t know that and that seems very helpful (especially in light of all of this stuff). 

I had heard that the Michelle Obama’s grandfather was also buried at Burr’s but I’m not sure if they were able to locate his grave or not.  It’s disturbing to think that folks would do something like this.  The FBI’s here and all, but the crime scene is so massive, I think it will take a long time to get everything straightened out properly.

Unfortunately, this isn’t an isolated incident. A human bone was recently discovered laying in the grass at a cemetary in my region. They’re not sure where it came from but it looks like it was from a moved grave. It’s so terrible to think that the people we trust (and pay) don’t take as good care of us as we expect.

Oh my goodness, that’s terrible!  They are also investigating another area in my region as well, so I guess it is a really common thing, but still, it’s totally crazy!

You know what I wasn’t away of- I wasn’t aware of the fact that some places tell you upfront that you’ll be moved. Apparently, after a certain time (I guess it’s in the contract) they can move you (I heard this from someone else). Is this true?  I always assumed that you’d just stay (forever) wherever they buried you.

Jackie,

That just freaks me out—knowing they can just go in there and move a grave!! Isn’t anything sacred anymore? If they moved my daughter’s grave, I think they would have tie me down because I would just go ballistic!!

Wow! I also didn’t know that was something that could happen. How long does it usually take for that to happen and where do they move the coffin to? It’s just crazy to think that you could pick out a plot and pay for it but someone else could end up there someday.

Yeah, Holly, it’s crazy. I’m not sure about how long they keep you in that spot and such, but maybe it’s cheaper that way (I guess that’s why they tell you upfront in the contract), and I know that a lot of people don’t have unlimited funds, so I guess it works out for some, but still!

Although, if there’s a natural disaster (like hurricane Katrina), you’ll move anyway. And there’s nothing any one can really do about something like that. I guess, in that sense, it’s something we all just have to deal with; it’s still difficult though.

There’s yet another case of this happening that was just on CNN today. This time it’s at a cemetery in California where they are believed to have moved as many as 500 graves to make room for new burials. The company that owns the cemetery has been charged with this before at a cemetery in Florida too.

Hi Holly, I also saw this on the news- it’s amazing- I don’t know how these companies are getting away with these things! I didn’t know that the same company had had a similar problem in Florida, so thank you for posting that information. Maybe there needs to be a special council or group or something that can oversee these cemeteries. I mean, it’s sad to think that we may have come to that, but it may be better than what’s going on now.