Photo: Getty Images
A Detroit family had visited their deceased loved one's unmarked grave for over a year before finding a stranger's tombstone at the site.
According to Click On Detroit, the family of Samuel Wells, a deceased Black man buried at the Sacred Heart of Saint Mary's Cemetary, made the discovery in January after frequent visits to his gravesite over 18 months. Wells' sister, Latonya Gouch, said she was visiting the site when another family's headstone appeared on her brother's grave.
“I want to know where my brother is,” Gouch previously told reporters. “Just as simple as that. I don’t understand. I need some answers.”
After making the alarming discovery, the family attempted to contact the cemetery's office several times but never received an answer. Wells' loved ones brought their story to Click On Detroit, which prompted the Mother of Divine Mercy's cemetery operations manager, Marianne Peggie, to finally respond to their questions.
Peggie said the incident was a mixup involving two neighboring gravesites. The stranger's headstone was incorrectly placed too far onto Wells' plot, she added.
“Once I heard about it, I decided to make sure it was taken care of immediately, looking into it more on my end of things and making sure the situation was remedied,” Peggie said, noting that workers moved the headstone to its proper place.
Wells' family said they are now at peace knowing they can continue visiting their loved one at the correct gravesite.
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