“What are we to do?” Families searching for answers after Lincoln Memorial Park Cemetery closes without notice

By Web staff

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    CARSON, California (KCAL) — Hundreds of families are desperately searching for answers after the Lincoln Memorial Park cemetery in Carson suddenly closed it’s doors without notice, preventing them from visiting their loved ones for nearly a month now.

Locals say that the gates were first locked up about three weeks ago, and in the time since they haven’t heard a single word from management.

Even the city of Carson has gotten involved, reaching out to owners with no success, posting a sign outside of the cemetery’s gates to let residents know that they should file complaints directly to the state of California.

For those family members just hoping to get inside to visit their lost loved ones, the lack of information just stacks onto the pain.

“My daughter’s seven-year anniversary is on the 29th of this month, and I can’t get in,” said Valerie Holyfield, who lives in Compton. “My heart is just totally broken.”

She’s among the many family members showing up to the cemetery day after day, hoping that the padlock that mysteriously arrived weeks ago would finally be gone.

“To pull up here and see these gates locked, you don’t even know. This is a nightmare,” said Felicia Jones, who also lives in nearby Compton. “We’re all here because we love our families, so we want to have access to them, we pay to have access to them.”

Hours of operation listed on the park’s website now say “permanently closed,” the phones have been disconnected and workers haven’t shown up in weeks, leaving the large plot of the cemetery unkept after years of meticulous groundskeeping.

Public records show that Lincoln Memorial Park’s license to operate was first issued back in October 1998, and isn’t set to expire until October of this year, however, the privately owned park has been abandoned, once again cruelly separating them from their loved ones.

“What are we to do? With our family members in there?” said Darlene Smith, another Compton resident speaking with media on Tuesday. “Somebody needs to come and tell us something, please. Just let us know what’s going on.”

Upon request for comment, the California Cemetery and Funeral Bureau confirmed that the park is closed and have begun looking into reports to search for an answer.

“The Cemetery and Funeral Bureau (CFB) is aware of reports that the cemetery may have reduced operational hours and/or closed, and the CFB is looking into these reports to determine the best course of action within the Bureau’s jurisdiction,” part of the statement read.

Lincoln Memorial Park Cemetery is a landmark burial site and one of the first integrated cemeteries in the nation, with veterans from as far back as the Civil War laid to rest on the grounds.

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