Woman: Someone else is buried in my plot

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Channel 4 continues its investigation into the latest controversy surrounding Restlawn Cemetery.

On Saturday, a Neptune Beach woman said someone else is buried in a cemetery plot she bought more than four decades ago.

Meril Sweat, 83, said she bought six plots at Restlawn Cemetery in 1971 --one for herself plus five family members. About two years ago, she got a surprise call from her daughter. 

"Someone else had been buried in my plot and they said, 'Oh, that's no problem, we can just bury her right behind it,'" Sweat said. 

"That is just really terrible and now I have cancer," she said. "I will probably be needing my space pretty soon since I'm 83. It's not a very good feeling to think that something like this has happened, which it should never have happened in the beginning."

Sweat said she talked to Restlawn managers when she found out about the problem, time but got nowhere.

"(I feel) very betrayed. They said they would pay me back for the cemetery plots, they'd buy them back at what I paid for them, and I don't think so, not when I paid $300 a piece for them. I want them, but I want them in the right way," Sweat said.

Sweat said her thoughts and prayers are with other families who are sorting through similar issues. As for her situation, she doesn't know what to do.

"I don't know how you would resolve this one. I guess I'll have to settle for the plot behind where I was supposed to be buried. Hope it's open when I go," Sweat said.


About the Authors:

Ashley Harding joined the Channel 4 news team in March 2013. She reports for and anchors The Morning Show.