“I was heartbroken”: Woman finds grandmother’s grave submerged in water, debris at cemetery

By WBBM Staff

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    ALSIP, Illinois (WBBM) — It’s been one woman’s tradition for more than two decades; paying respects at grandma’s grave for her birthday.

But this year, she says she was shocked at what she discovered during her year’s visit to an Alsip Cemetery — flooded graves and debris everywhere.

CBS 2’s Asal Rezaei reports her warning to people with loved ones buried there.

Keta Jackson has generations of family, over 20 relatives buried at Burr Oak Cemetery — including her grandmother, Sarah Ray.

Now living in Georgia, Jackson has been driving here every year since her grandmother passed away in 1999. She puts flowers on the grave every March 7 to remember her birthday.

“When I got here, this is what I saw, I was devastated. I was heartbroken, I immediately started crying,” she said.

Jackson says she was in disbelief and began having a panic attack.

“Her grave was covered in debris, dirt, mud, I couldn’t find it.”

When she called the front office, Jackson says she was told they simply didn’t have the resources to help her. She says eventually, a grounds worker saw her in distress. Helped her find and uncover her grandmother’s grave and cleaning it off — so Jackson could put flowers and wish her a happy birthday.

There are graves under puddles of water throughout the cemetery. Jackson is worried about those families who haven’t had the chance to come out and see the conditions yet.

“They don’t know that these graves are submerged in water, debris, filth, water bottles. I saw beer cans, paper bags. It was just terrible. I saw somebody flowers floating on top of water.”

Jackson says she hopes the cemetery will at least try to start making things better.

“That they will step up and they would come out and they will do the right thing for these people. I mean, this is their final resting place.”

A place Jackson says needs peace for both those who are resting here and their families that come to visit.

We’ve asked Burr Oak Cemetery several times for answers. They have yet to respond.

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