Stephanie Steitzer ~ The Kentucky Post (Covington) ~ 9/29/2004
The South Fork Christian Church in Verona last year disinterred 12 graves on its property and reburied them about 80 feet away.
A few descendents of those who were moved are not happy about it.
Deborah Kaye, of Georgia, told the Boone County Fiscal Court Tuesday night that the remains of her great-great-great grandmother, Mary McAndless, were placed in a mass grave with the others that were dug up to make way for the construction of a new church.
She also accuses the church of not locating the remains of McAndless' stillborn infant and of not properly notifying descendents before the disinterment.
"I think it's un-Christian," she said. "They have violated my roots."
Boone County Judge-Executive Gary Moore said he would try to help Kaye get information from the state Office of Vital Statistics, which approved the relocation, and would talk to those who are interested about forming a cemetery preservation task force.
Boone County Attorney J.R. Schrand said he also is attempting to get information from the state.
South Fork Christian Church minister Bob Hightchew said the remains were disinterred according to state and county guidelines and that Kaye and others are really just upset that the old church was demolished.
Hightchew said the remains were placed in individual waterproof containers and then put into a heavy-duty plywood box.
"The term mass grave, I think because it carries such a bad message with it, is why it's being used," he said.
Kentucky Administrative Regulation 5:090, which deals with the burial and disinterment of dead bodies, states that human remains intended for reburial shall be enclosed in a container constructed of strong material and of sufficient size.
Boone County Coroner Doug Stith, who along with the state Office of Vital Records, signed the removal permits, said the statute is vague and doesn't specify whether the containers must be placed in individual graves.
"What was done was very respectful," he said. "This excavation, disinterment and reburial was excellently done."
Hightchew also said the church was not required to notify Kaye or other descendents because it was not moving the graves to another cemetery. He said descendents could see the new location from the former burial site because it is so close.
But Jan Garbett, who is president of a non-profit county cemetery preservation group, argues in a letter to the county that the new burial site was not a previously designated cemetery.
"Therefore, the graves were not actually moved from one part of the cemetery to another part of the same cemetery -- " she said.
As for the missing stillborn child of Kaye's great-great-great grandmother, Hightchew said the county has no records of the child or several others that are believed to be buried near the church.
Stith also said no remains of a child buried 120 years ago would even exist. In fact, he said only one person's bones were recovered. The other remains consisted of discolored clay.
Hightchew said it is unfortunate that the 100-year-old church had to be demolished, but it was in disrepair and was not big enough to handle the church's growing congregation.
He also said it was unfortunate that the graves had to be relocated.
"They were removed with honor and dignity," he said.
"They were reinterred with prayer."
A few descendents of those who were moved are not happy about it.
Deborah Kaye, of Georgia, told the Boone County Fiscal Court Tuesday night that the remains of her great-great-great grandmother, Mary McAndless, were placed in a mass grave with the others that were dug up to make way for the construction of a new church.
She also accuses the church of not locating the remains of McAndless' stillborn infant and of not properly notifying descendents before the disinterment.
"I think it's un-Christian," she said. "They have violated my roots."
Boone County Judge-Executive Gary Moore said he would try to help Kaye get information from the state Office of Vital Statistics, which approved the relocation, and would talk to those who are interested about forming a cemetery preservation task force.
Boone County Attorney J.R. Schrand said he also is attempting to get information from the state.
South Fork Christian Church minister Bob Hightchew said the remains were disinterred according to state and county guidelines and that Kaye and others are really just upset that the old church was demolished.
Hightchew said the remains were placed in individual waterproof containers and then put into a heavy-duty plywood box.
"The term mass grave, I think because it carries such a bad message with it, is why it's being used," he said.
Kentucky Administrative Regulation 5:090, which deals with the burial and disinterment of dead bodies, states that human remains intended for reburial shall be enclosed in a container constructed of strong material and of sufficient size.
Boone County Coroner Doug Stith, who along with the state Office of Vital Records, signed the removal permits, said the statute is vague and doesn't specify whether the containers must be placed in individual graves.
"What was done was very respectful," he said. "This excavation, disinterment and reburial was excellently done."
Hightchew also said the church was not required to notify Kaye or other descendents because it was not moving the graves to another cemetery. He said descendents could see the new location from the former burial site because it is so close.
But Jan Garbett, who is president of a non-profit county cemetery preservation group, argues in a letter to the county that the new burial site was not a previously designated cemetery.
"Therefore, the graves were not actually moved from one part of the cemetery to another part of the same cemetery -- " she said.
As for the missing stillborn child of Kaye's great-great-great grandmother, Hightchew said the county has no records of the child or several others that are believed to be buried near the church.
Stith also said no remains of a child buried 120 years ago would even exist. In fact, he said only one person's bones were recovered. The other remains consisted of discolored clay.
Hightchew said it is unfortunate that the 100-year-old church had to be demolished, but it was in disrepair and was not big enough to handle the church's growing congregation.
He also said it was unfortunate that the graves had to be relocated.
"They were removed with honor and dignity," he said.
"They were reinterred with prayer."
