Charlotte Cemetery Neglect: Families File Civil Lawsuit

CHARLOTTE – A local cemetery is being sued after families say their loved ones grave sites are being neglected and even misplaced.

Lavonne Haynes has buried both of her parents here at York Memorial Cemetery on South Tryon, her father was buried here in 1965 with a veteran marker.

She claims the cemetery moved his headstone and had ended up laying her mother farther ahead of him without the family knowing.

“I was under the thought that when you buy a plot it belongs to you. That’s your land” said Haynes. “That’s enough right there to make you sick.”

Other victims came forward as well after noticing their loved ones tomb stones were either moved or gone completely.

Kay Morrison-Sanders worked at this very cemetery for years. She was ten when her mother was buried here and has no idea where she is laid to rest.

“Her sister is buried up front, she has two brothers buried here, she has four children buried here. She’s buried here somewhere,” she says.

Andrea Buyers came to bring her mother flowers on her birthday, but the headstone was gone. After asking staff about where it went, she came back the next day.

“Sure enough,” says Buyers, “we came back and her headstone was back but not in the exact spot.”

Families hope their lawsuit against the cemetery will help them to connect with their deceased loved ones again.