Family concerned about conditions inside Detroit-area cemetery's mausoleum: "Just fix it"
ROYAL OAK, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) — One Royal Oak family member has a message for the owners of Oakview Cemetery in Royal Oak: "Just fix it."
The manicured lawn at the cemetery gives the impression of a peaceful and pristine final resting place. The inside of the mausoleum is a different story.
"They keep the outside up nice, but the inside, they kind of treat it like it's secondary, it's a basement, it's a garage," said John Sdao.
Sdao says every time it rains, water enters the building.
"Water comes down from the roof and behind the wall and then seeps out," Sdao said.
Sdao, a plumber, says a cemetery bathroom is often infested with pests that keep coming back no matter how often it's cleaned.
"We have been experiencing sewer flies that are all over our face. They attack us. It is caused by the sewer not being treated properly," he said.
He has several family members there, including his parents, an aunt, an uncle, a cousin, and his beloved son.
"I used to come here five days out of the week; I don't come here hardly at all, maybe once a week, if that," Sdao said.
Someday, Sdao and his wife Dawn will lay beside their son.
"To be honest with you, I always say if I won the lottery, I'll pull everybody out of here," he said.
The carpet is dry now, but there are signs of water damage and rot all over the place.
"We all signed a contract when we purchased these plots, and they are supposed to keep up their part of the bargain. Keep the heat on, keep the air on, and maintain the building and they're not doing that," Sdao said.
Sdao says he's talked to managers on-site, and their response is, " We're looking into it."
"To me there's not a whole lot of looking into, just fix it," Sdao said.
He says if the issues continue much longer, he will consider legal action.
"I'd like to see what's behind this wall. If his casket is damaged," Sdao said. "I'm thoroughly disgusted on how they treat this building."
CBS News Detroit reached out to cemetery managers for comment. They referred us to the corporate owners, Everstory Partners, who have not responded.
