While a Memphis, tennessee family is still in mourning over the tragic loss of their six-month-old baby son Ashton, they were shocked and horrified to discover his casket, out of the grave and floating on top of it in water almost two weeks after his burial. Alysha Mackey, Ashton’s mother, had been unable to watch her baby’s casket lowered into his grave at his funeral. It was when she and the family visited the gravesite to pay their respects on Monday, they made the shocking discovery.
Baby Ashton died on May 13 and was buried May 20
Baby Ashton passed away on May 13 after a severe illness and his sudden death left his family and loved ones shocked and stunned.
They said goodbye to Ashton on May 20 at the Babyland section of New Park Cemetery in Memphis. While visiting the infant’s grave on Monday, they discovered Ashton’s casket floating in water, above ground in the cemetery.
Due to the Memorial Day holiday, Mackey and the family were unable to contact the cemetery about the incident. She told Fox 13 that she wasn’t able to sleep that night, adding that she already has nightmares over the loss of her baby and now it’s much worse.
Mother had been unable to watch his casket lowered into the grave
Alysha Mackey, 25, spoke to Inside Edition to say she had been unable to watch Ashton’s casket being lowered into his grave and that her uncle stayed during the burial.
She said when she arrived at the gravesite on Monday and found his casket lying, upside down in dirty water and out of the grave, she was distraught, devastated and confused. She thought she was going to pass out and just didn’t know what to think.
Cemetery officials told Mackey that as Ashton had such a tiny casket, it had only been buried two feet into the ground.
They told her bad weather might be responsible for the disturbance of his grave. However, Mackey says this still shouldn’t have happened as her son’s casket was inside a vault, which should have added weight.
Family Visiting 6-Month-Old's Fresh Grave Finds Infant's Casket Floating Above Ground https://t.co/cUf38TCbH8 via @InsideEdition
— Susie Bowser (@suzarella2) May 31, 2017
A man working at the cemetery reportedly agreed with Mackey, saying he had never seen anything like this in the 32 years he has worked there.
Mourning increases for the Tennessee family
Now the family has had to re-dig Ashton’s grave and bury him all over again. The family, already in mourning, is suffering as the incident brought back so many bad memories. Mackey says all she wants is for her son to be at peace. She says while already dealing with the loss of her son, things have now become even worse for her.
New Park Cemetery refunds the costs and offers to rebury the baby
The incident is reportedly being investigated by the Shelby County Health Department. Inside Edition attempted to contact the New Park Cemetery for comment but got no response. However, Fox 13 report that the cemetery has since reached out to the family and has offered to refund the costs of the burial and to rebury baby Ashton.
