Homeless People Accused Of Desecrating South Sacramento Cemetery
SOUTH SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Several families are fed up with the homeless disturbing the dignity of their dead loved ones.
"It's sacred ground, it's our family," said Sarah Clement.
Homeless campers are being accused of disturbing the dead and desecrating the peaceful environment of the Sacramento Memorial Lawn Cemetery.
"Walking on them and urinating on them, it's so disrespectful," said Dorene Perez, who has a sister and grandfather buried there.
She can't believe homeless, who've set up camp in a vacant field adjacent to the cemetery property, are now disrespecting their loved ones.
"There's a lot of family, a lot of history there," said Sarah Clement, who has generations of family and her nephew who passed away before his first birthday buried at the cemetery. "I get to go visit him in the ground and I want them to stay off that ground and leave my baby alone."
READ ALSO: Cops Evicted 70 Homeless People, Now Where Have They Gone?
The sheriff's department estimates there are up to 35 tents set up near the cemetery. The property is surrounded by a barbed wire fence, but people have cut a hole in it to make access easier and the problem is getting worse.
CBS13 has learned the camp has grown since the sheriff's department's raid on a large scale camp just blocks away two weeks ago.
So far, the cemetery says no headstones have been vandalized nor graves dug up, but the homeless have caused thousands of dollars in damages. It certainly has taken its toll on families whose loved ones should rest in peace here for eternity.
"I wouldn't do that to their family and they shouldn't do that to ours," Clement said.
The sheriff's department says these people are trespassing on private property, and are working with the property owner and the cemetery to keep homeless out.