Memorial Held For Burr Oak Victims

Stephanie Jackson lost her four-year-old daughter Charrhonda in 2001. She buried her daughter at Burr Oak Cemetery in “Babyland.” Her remains are now missing and Jackson, l ike hundreds of other people , is grieving all over again.

People in need of comfort gathered at a church across the street from the cemetery for a memorial led by Reverend Jesse Jackson.

“The good news is our relatives souls are not there,” said Jackson.

To make sure a cemetery scandal such as this never happens again, much of the memorial focused on reform. State Comptroller Dan Hines says two key things will happen this week.

“One is we will file a formal complaint against the owners of this cemetery to take this cemetery away from them,” said State Comptroller Dan Hines.

The second: immediately drafting legislation to fix the holes in the state regulatory system.
Senator James Meeks says this investigation is bringing to light serious questions and concerns.

“I have never heard of a cemetery that closed,” said Meeks. ...

As the memorial was wrapping up, down the road, loved ones were also filling out paperwork for the Sheriff's department. They were given a map of the cemetery to fill out. It will be given to investigators who are carefully plotting out all 150 acres of the cemetery.

The cemetery will remain closed through at least the beginning of the week. There will no longer be any sheriff's department employees taking information about loved ones buried here in person.

Anyone with questions must now use the sheriff's hotline numbers.

1-800-942-1950

OR

1-708-865-6070
 

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