Torrance woman heartbroken over struggles to bury her mother at Carson cemetery
The cemetery has been left abandoned and vandalized because no workers are properly caring for it.
CARSON, Calif. (KABC) -- Brenda Lee-Doby finds herself desperately struggling to fulfill her mother's final wish, to be buried next to her father at Lincoln Memorial Park Cemetery in Carson.
"Can you imagine your mother not being able to be buried after paying her money and thinking that everything was set, everything was OK?" said Lee-Doby.
"The fact that it's really unfortunate and sad that you could pay for a funeral plot on Nov. 14 of 1977 and die on March 24 of 2024. Believing that you are going to be able to have your final resting place," said Lee-Doby's daughter, Leticia Renee Shaw.
Lee-Doby said her mother's grave plaque and burial spot were already paid for. Last year, the owner of the cemetery closed the gates and it was taken over by the state. But since closing, the cemetery has been left abandoned and even vandalized because no workers are properly caring for it.
"The funeral is going to go forth on Monday. But my mother is not going to be able to be buried. But the problem is, the grass has grown up. There's no one taking care of the property," Lee-Doby said.
Lee-Doby said over the past year, the grass has grown significantly. Not only can't she walk to the grave site of her mom and dad, but she needs someone who is willing to dig a hole to give her mom a proper burial.
"My mother is going to have to stay in a mortuary until this has settled for somebody to dig a grave," Lee-Doby said.
Since closing, community members have been volunteering their time at the cemetery to try to get it cleaned up, but it's not enough.
"I feel so upset that families like this may not have the support they need in order to bury their loved ones," said Compton resident Aisha Woods.
Lee-Doby said she's reached out to state representatives, but so far nothing has been done. We also reached out to state assemblymember Mike Gipson, but haven't heard back yet.
"If somebody would just come and dig the hole for my mom to be buried," Lee-Doby said.
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