MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Cedric Boyd lost his father more than 25 years ago - now he's more than concerned about his resting place.
Boyd reached out to ABC24 – concerned and upset about the conditions at Mount Carmel Cemetery in Whitehaven.
“I can’t even bring my mom out there to visit, I can’t even bring my kids out there who’ve never met their granddaddy,” Boyd said.
ABC24 discovered both the Shelby County Property Appraisers Office and Deeds division have absolutely no record of an owner on file.
We also discovered that the cemetery itself when abandoned by its previous owners in 2012, leaving the entire property left to decay.
Boyd said the grass typically grows uncontrolled. Even when the grass is cut he says it exposes even more of the tattered, torn, cracked and sometimes broken headstones.
“I’ve been cleaning my father‘s grave off ever since 2016,” Boyd said.
Tall grass and broken headstones aside, the cemetery is now home to at least one tire, one mattress and a fallen tree that blocks what used to be a driveway onto the property.
City of Memphis officials told ABC24 they do not hold any control but add as a courtesy to the neighborhood twice a year, they cut the cemetery grass.
So tonight, just like every night, Boyd ends his day wondering what will become of Mount Carmel cemetery and his father‘s final resting place.
Boyd says, “I want to sue the city of Memphis, or either the state. Somebody's got to be taking care of that.”