Families outraged after grave covers removed at Tampa cemetery

TAMPA, Fla. - Families visiting loved ones at a cemetery in East Tampa have been stunned this week, discovering personal tributes forcibly removed from dozens of graves.

What we know:

Rest Haven Memorial Park looked much different on Tuesday evening. With displays, decorations and steel covers cleared out from burial sites.

Shalenea Gainous was overcome with emotion after finding her father’s grave cover lying near the cemetery’s dumpster.

It was lying in a large pile of personal tributes scattered around.

"These are still graves, they better not disturb the old and kids," she said. "You are touching my daddy’s stuff and touching everybody’s stuff."

Other families shared similar experiences. Leroy Washington Jr. discovered his son Leon’s grave emptied out, without warning.

"They should have let us know," he said. "That’s total disrespect to me, my son and everybody else’s son that’s out here."

The backstory:

Back in May, Faithful Heritage Holdings took over ownership of the cemetery. Noting that man-made materials are not allowed as grave coverings and posting signs to reinforce their policy this summer.

Greta "Gigi" Harrison, the manager at Rest Haven Memorial Park, says they’re only removing items that do not comply with their rules.

"In recent years, some items may have remained in place without enforcement," Harrison said. "With new ownership and updated oversight, our responsibility is to apply the existing rules fairly for all families."

Yet, Monica Woods — whose son Joe was laid to rest at the cemetery in 2023 — says more communication should have come first.

"Use the phone, email, text messaging or anyway, to get ahold of these families, so we can come and pick it up," she said. "I would have had no problem with picking it up."

Woods feels that these grave removals are disrespectful and disgraceful.

"It hurts to see that they can just throw it out with no remorse or feelings," she concluded. "It feels like you just ripped something out of our heart."