An inconceivable error caused the delay of an elderly woman's burial in a Miami cemetery, leaving her family to endure moments of pain and uncertainty. The funeral of the woman, who passed away on June 23 at the age of 93, was scheduled for Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. at Caballero Rivero Woodlawn South Cemetery in Kendall. However, a mix-up at the cemetery prevented the burial as planned by the family.
"When we arrived at the cemetery, the space designated for my grandmother was occupied by another deceased person," said Leodan Delgado, the grandson of the deceased, to Telemundo51. An hour prior, according to their information, another individual had been buried in the plot the family had paid for.
Delgado expressed his and his family's frustration: "We are very offended. We feel terrible because we have nowhere to bury her."
Mario Márquez, the son of the deceased, explained that the plot belongs to his brother-in-law, his sister's husband. "They bought it almost 10 years ago, but it had never been used," he added.
Three days before the funeral, the elderly woman's relatives visited the cemetery and prepared everything, according to their testimony. However, on Tuesday, they were met with a very different reality.
"They apologized for the mistake and told us we had to wait to exhume the other body and then bury my mother," Márquez pointed out. Telemundo51 recorded the moment when the previously buried person's coffin was removed and placed in another grave using an excavator.
According to Márquez, a cemetery office employee informed them that the other deceased person's family had been notified and they said they wouldn't return, which the Cuban doubted.
"Having to wait three hours to bury my mother is a lack of respect, ethics, education, everything... Did they make a mistake? No, I don't think it was a mistake!" Márquez stated indignantly about the incident.
The family remained at the cemetery throughout Tuesday afternoon, waiting to give their loved one a final farewell. Finally, the burial took place around 4:30 p.m.
The management of Caballero Rivero Woodlawn South did not respond to the request for comments on the unusual situation made by the television channel.
Details Surrounding the Cemetery Mistake in Miami
This section addresses common questions and concerns about the incident at the Miami cemetery involving the mistaken burial.
What caused the burial delay at Caballero Rivero Woodlawn South Cemetery?
The delay was caused by a mix-up where another deceased person was buried in the plot reserved for the elderly woman.
How did the family react to the burial mistake?
The family was deeply offended and frustrated, feeling disrespected by the cemetery's error and the subsequent delay in the burial.
What actions did the cemetery take to correct the mistake?
The cemetery staff apologized and exhumed the wrongly buried body, eventually allowing the elderly woman's burial to proceed.