Why Gravesites Were Cleared at New York Cemetery, Devastating Families

Grief is hard. We all deal with it differently. Some scatter ashes. Others visit gravestones. What happens when those graves are touched?

One cemetery is under fire for clearing gravesites in Oneida, New York, devastating families.

Ashley Palmer lost her son Kody in 2015 from a rare congenital heart defect at just 4 months old. She's been visiting him at St Patrick's Cemetery ever since.

Graves Get Cleared

Everything Ashley put around her son's grave is now gone, including a hand-painted bucket she made 8 years ago.

"It was there before his headstone to mark the grave. It said how much I love him and how I blow a kiss to him every night. They just broke it and threw it away."

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Not Acceptable

Ashley says she hasn't had any issues in the 8 years she's been visiting her son's grave and was shocked to see it cleared.

"We were told we had 2 weeks to dig through everything for our stuff before it was thrown in the trash. They can’t be allowed to think this is acceptable."

Notice Sent Out

St Patrick's Cemetery Association President Jim Cronn says a bulletin was sent out to 6 different churches letting everyone know caretakers would be removing everything artificial from all graves around April 1.

"That's where we do things, in church."

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Cemetery Entrance Sign

There's also a sign at the entrance of the cemetery explaining everything not allowed on gravesites and Cronn says it's been there for several years.

"We haven't been diligent about enforcing it over the years and it's gotten out of hand."

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Complaints Cause Clearing

Cronn received several complaints about the amount of artificial items on gravesites. He apologizes for any unintentional damage done during the clearing.

"We are sensitive to the fact everyone grieves in their own way but rules are rules. What one person may see as memories, someone else sees just rusty toys."