47°
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
7 Day Forecast
Follow our weather team on social media

State launches investigation after WBRZ reports on exposed skull in cemetery

8 years 3 months 1 week ago Monday, December 21 2015 Dec 21, 2015 December 21, 2015 6:52 PM December 21, 2015 in News
Source: WBRZ

CLINTON - Some residents in Clinton are demanding action over a disturbing situation at the Hickory Nut cemetery.

Several graves at the cemetery are in bad shape but not as bad as one that shows exposed bones.

Frederick Boyd enjoys taking walks through the Hickory Nut cemetery. He's lived in Clinton for most of his life. It's the peacefulness and serenity here that keeps him coming back, but recently that peace has been interrupted.

 "I just happened to be in this area visiting a couple of people that I know and to my surprise I stumbled upon this and I wish it was something I never saw," said Frederick Boyd.

 About a month ago, Boyd came across one of the most disturbing, shocking images he's ever seen. A human skull exposed. The skull is surrounded by what appears to be an old, wooden coffin.
 The concrete that encased it is crumbling from years of weather and nothing has been done to cover it up.

"This is someone's loved one, what if it was your loved one," said Boyd. "What if it was you." 

So we went searching for answers. We found a number associated with the cemetery on the Lousiana Cemetery Board's website.

Jerrlyn McCray answered the phone when we called. According to her, she helps maintain the cemetery with her mother. McCray claims the grave belongs to a woman who was buried more than 40 years ago.

"When they come tell her about the cemetery, she tries to help and get it straight and talk to the families," said McCray as she speaks on behalf of her mother. "Many families have came and reset the vault when the vault fell in."  

She claims when they notified a family member a month ago they didn't do anything about it.

"That's not our responsibility," said McCray.

With no one taking responsibility to fix it, people like Boyd want to see something done and he's hoping this story will help bring some dignity and respect to the person in this cemetery to finally rest in peace.

Residents said people have been buried there since the 1800's.

Lucy McCann, the director of the Louisiana Cemetery Board, said they launched an investigation Monday with the Attorney General's office into the situation because of WBRZ's report.

More News

Desktop News

Click to open Continuous News in a sidebar that updates in real-time.
Radar
7 Days