SPOKANE, Wash. – Vandals are causing problems at one of the most sacred cemeteries in Spokane.
Workers at Holy Cross on N. Wall said someone has been trashing the grounds and memorial stones near the mausoleum. They said it has happened four times in two weeks.
The grounds crew works really hard to make sure the cemetery is a place of peace and quiet and tranquility because they know the people who visit are often grieving.
Marianna Sasser visits the cemetery almost every day to water flowers and visit the memorial marker of a departed friend. When she arrived on the morning of July 23, the scene that greeted her was far from usual. Flowers were everywhere, pots and vases shattered to bits and even religious statues were crushed and ruined.
"There was a little blue angel that used to stand by that door, smashed it to pieces on the floor. Smashed other stuff on the floor. Took planters from upstairs and threw them over the wall, and broke them on the grass," said Sasser.
She said she was surprised someone would cause such destruction at such a sacred location. But when it happened again the next day, and then two more days the following weekend, she was just mad.
"It's like, I'm sitting here hurting, and you're doing this," she said.
Holy Cross operations manager Nathan Hueser said flowers often go missing from grave sites, but this level of repeated damage is some of the worst he has seen in 16 years.
"This is almost vindictive. It's destruction. They're doing it on purpose. To cause trouble. Absolutely," said Hueser.
Holy Cross leaders said it has happened every Friday and Saturday night since mid-July. They worry it may happen again.