DETROIT – A family in Detroit is demanding answers from cemetery operators regarding a troubling situation involving their loved one’s gravesite.
Latonya Gouch and her family have been visiting the grave of her brother, Samuel Wells, for the past year and a half, only to discover that a headstone now bears the name of someone they do not know.
“I don’t know what else to do at this point,” Gouch said.
She has been visiting the cemetery monthly, placing flowers and playing music in honor of her brother, who was buried there in August 2023.
During a visit in January to celebrate Wells' birthday, the family was shocked to find another person’s headstone marking the site.
“I couldn’t believe it,” said Edward Harris, Wells’ father. “It was mind-blowing,”
After discovering the mix-up, the family immediately contacted the cemetery’s office, only to be told that the staff was new and still figuring out the placements.
Despite multiple follow-up calls, relatives claim they received no answers, leading Latonya to feel frustrated and anxious.
“I want to know where my brother is. Just as simple as that. I want to know where he is. What happened? I don’t understand. I need some answers,” she pleaded.
Attempts to reach the cemetery for clarification have gone unanswered.
The family is considering filing a formal complaint with the State of Michigan as they continue to seek clarity on their brother’s resting place.
