Burr Oak Cemetery Opened on a limited basis|YourFuneralGuy

Burr Oak Cemetery partially reopened on November 19th 2009

Burr Oak Cemetery is being opened on Thursday to specific families that have a loved one buried there.

The tickets are being issued by a Perpetua,  Inc at a website at http://www.burroakalsip.com/

Anyone who has a ticket can get in on their assigned day. If You have a loved one at Burr Oak, you can find the information at the website.

Here are some of the details on the Cemetery Reopining listed at the Perpetua Website.

Burr Oak Cemetery will re-open to the public on a limited, section by section basis beginning on Thursday, November 19, 2009 through Wednesday, November 25, 2009. The Cemetery will be open from 8 am to 4 pm on week-days and 8 am to 3:30 pm on week-ends.

We anticipate that there will be large numbers of people coming to Burr Oak, some of whom may require assistance. To avoid the crowd, we suggest that you make your visit at least two weeks after the Cemetery opens.

We have a very limited staff, so we appreciate your patience. We will do our best to accommodate your needs. Because of the limited staff, the Cemetery will be opened up on a section by section basis, with a new section being opened each day until all 45 sections have been opened. Burr Oak staff will be stationed only in the areas being opened on that specific day to provide assistance in locating a loved one’s grave.

via www.burroakalsip.com

In order to visit the site one should get on a bus at a specific location-Burr Oak Cemetery Transportation Center at 12250 S Cicero Ave, Suite 109, Alsip, IL 60803. there is parking.

On Friday November 27th Burr Oak cemetery will reopen to the Public.

In July 2009 it was discovered that over 300 graves were desecrated at Burr Oak Cemetery. Four people were arrested. Bones were piled up all over the cemetery.

In reaction to the Burr Oak Cemetery  Scandal Illinois has proposed cemetery reform, and Congressman Bobby Rush has proposed the Bereaved Consumers Bill of Rights Act of 2009-Click here

The main problem at the Cemetery is that there are over 140,000 grave sites with only 43,000 headstones.

Funeral Industry|Funeral Blog by Your Funeral Guy

March on Burr Oak Cemetery-YourFuneralGuy

There is more horror in the Burr Oak Cemetery, Perpetua the old owners are back!

The first of many Marches has been planned  on Burr Oak Cemetery. The first is scheduled to take place on September 20th 2009. This past week the keys to Burr Oak Cemetery were turned over  to  it’s negligent owner Perpetua, Inc.

The court receiver is no longer involved. Folks are afraid the owner from before the Scandal will not keep the cemetery up. More grave desecration is a possibility. Most certainly recompense for the Burr Oak Families will not be taking place now.

In July 2009, it was discovered that up to 300 graves were desecrated at the Burr Oak Cemetery near Chicago. The horror continued as piles of dismembered bodies  were  found around the Cemetery.

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$50,000 for Burr Oak Cemetery Released-yourfuneralguy

A judge has released $50,000.00 USD for the operation of Burr Oak Cemetery. This is good news for those who are seeking more information on loved ones whose graves may have been dug up.

In July 2009 it was discovered that over 200 graves were desecrated at the cemetery  in Alsip, IL. Other investigations are continuing. Bones were found discarded around the cemetery.Four People have been arrested.

Although the owner “Perpetua Inc” reported the scandal they have been not given public answers about their role in the matter.

Recently operations at the Cemetery had to cease due to lack of funds.

This is a cemetery and burial disaster|Scandal of the worst type.

Snippet from the Southtown Star

This morning a group of 15 lawyers representing Szabelski, the sheriff, Burr Oak owner Perpetua Inc. and others were in court for a hearing on the issue.

A judge agreed to give Szabelski $50,000 from the still-frozen accounts with which to continue his work Burr Oak.

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Burr Oak Cemetery No Longer a Crime Scene-YourFuneralGuy

The latest news in the Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal is that it is no longer a crime scene. This is according to the Cook County Sheriff’’s website. The cemetery has been turned over to the Court Receiver. “BURR OAK CEMETERY WILL NOT BE REOPENED AT THIS TIME”

There is enough evidence gathered for prosecution. The Sheriff sees no need to excavate the cemetery for months or years.

As mentioned in the previous post the recovered bones will not undergo DNA testing. The investigation will continue off site.

From the Press Page at the Cook County Sheriffs Website.

“The turning over of day-to-day operations to the receiver is a step towards allowing the cemetery to conduct normal business,” Dart said.  “I want to thank the public for their patience during the time we were forced to close the cemetery to process the crime scenes and ask for their continued patience while Mr. Szabelski continues to work towards re-opening Burr Oak.  I hope that everything that has been done will help ease the pain of those with loved ones buried here and allow them to finally have some closure in this matter.”

Community Members have come together to form the Chicago Burr Oak  Cemetery Historical Society. They are working together to find a fan appropriate memorial for the bones unearthed at Burr Oak Cemetery.

Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal|For some no answers-

Funeral Industry|Funeral Blog by Your Funeral Guy.

Burr Oak cemetery pic from Dallas News.

Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal:FBI says bones|not to be DNA tested-YourFuneralGuy

There will Be No DNA testing on 1,100 discarded bones at Burr Oak cemetery

There will Be No DNA testing on 1,100 discarded bones at Burr Oak cemetery. The Chicago office of the FBI has stated that the bones recovered from Burr Oak Cemetery will not be tested.

This will come as a disappointment to many families would like to know whether or not there deceased relatives were among those who were dug up.The relatives of those desecrated are the victims.

We will never know the identities of many that were taken out of their graves. Approximately1,100 bones were recovered.

Assistant Special Agent Trautmann Director of the Chicago FBI office stated on August 7th 2009 :

“Even if we could’ve obtained the DNA profile from bones … then we have the problem of who we compare that to, not knowing who those bones belong to”

Cook County Sheriff Dart stated:

“For those individuals who are looking for every part of human remains that were disinterred to be recovered, that is not going to occur, it cannot occur,”

DNA testing on 1,100 Bones recovered in Burr Oak Grave Robbing Scandal is not to happen

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You can get some help here: Cook County Sheriff’s website:www.burroak.net

Burr oak cemetery pic from religion dispatches.org

Source: The Huffington Post

Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal: Four Arrested Indicted-yourfuneralguy

On August 6th 2009  the four people arrested in the Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal were indicted by the Cook County States Attorney. When they were arrested they were charged with dismemberment of a human body(class x felony).

At the Burr Oak Cemetery nearly 300 graves were disturbed and bones were piled up at different locations. Four people were arrested.

Other indictments are listed below that were returned by a grand jury.

two counts of theft

unlawful removal of grave stones

desecration of human remains

unlawful removal of deceased human beings from a burial ground.

conspiracy to remove human remains.

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Huffington Post

Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal:NFDA Asks FTC To Help-YourFuneralGuy

The National Funeral Directors Association has asked the Federal Trade Commission to bring cemeteries in under the Funeral Rule. This is the Result of the Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal.

The National Funeral Directors Association has asked for Cemetery Reform as a result of the Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal. Christine Pepper the CEO of The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) has sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission asking the FTC to strengthen  the “Funeral Rule” to include all deathcare vendors which includes Cemeteries. This would be an excellent step in preventing future cemetery scandals like Burr Oak.

The Funeral Rule already applies to Funeral homes but needs to apply to Cemeteries as well. the Full NFDA Letter can be viewed here.

From the letter:

Any time the government extends regulations over sellers in an industry or profession, it has the effect of curtailing the opportunity for abuse. If a seller is not licensed, not inspected and not regulated by federal, state or local governments, it operates in a free-for-all world where there is no accountability for any transgression… NFDA, AARP and other organizations have documented the harm that consumers have experienced…

The FTC has refused to even investigate these complaints by arguing (without any support or evidence) that the practices are not pervasive throughout the industry. As a result, cemetery and crematory consumers continue to suffer from these reoccurring scandals.”

This is the a step forward for the NFDA and they should be commended for sending the letter to the FTC, Federal Trade Commission.

Funeral Industry|Funeral Blog by Your Funeral Guy.

Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal:owners Perpetua,Inc-yourfuneralguy

Burr  Oak Cemetery in Alsip, Illinois is the location of the July 2oo9 Cemetery disaster where 300 graves were disturbed bodies dismembered, and bones discarded around the cemetery. The Cook County Sheriff  has the sight closed off as a crime scene.

The owners of Burr oak cemetery are PERPETUA HOLDINGS OF ILLINOIS, INC with Melvin Z. Byrant of Richardson Texas in charge. Perpetua Holdings is the Arizona company who is ultimately responsible. There address is 6614 E Villa Dorado Dr., Tucson, AZ 85715-4725 .

It does appear that Melvin Z. Byrant does not spend his time in Arizona. He has not bothered to show up in Illinois to face the community in the Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal. This may not have been the wisest course of action.

It appears that  Byrant is staying close to his partners at Pacesetters Capital, Inc. He is an operating partner with Pacesetters Capital according to the website.( Melvin Z Bryant’s picture is here on their Website.) It would be safe to conclude that Pacesetters Capital has some Financial interest in  Melvin Z. Byrant and  Perpetua, Inc.

Perpetua  has caused so much heartache at Burr Oak Cemetery. Hopefully the  Perpetua company and their investors will make things right with the families that have loved ones at Burr Oak Cemetery. Restitution must happen.

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Melvin Byrant is named here because he is a responsible owner of Burr Oak Cemetery, named in several lawsuits and in the press.

MORE ON BURR OAK CEMETERY OWNERS

Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal: the Sheriff’s Question:-YourFuneralGuy

The Cook County Sheriffs question on Friday deeply troubles me.   Why did not anyone  speak up? The answer to the Sheriff’s question is quite frightening. But it is not entirely unexpected.

Below is Sheriff’s Dart’s question on Friday after discovering more atrocities.

Snippet From the ChicagoSunTimes:

“How in God’s name this industry has been able to get away with having virtually no regulation or enforcement all these years is mind-boggling,Dart said.”

The answer is we do not like to think of death. When a loved passes on we are forced to think about dying. We  think about  it for awhile and shove our thoughts to the back of the  head, or deep inside. This goes for everyone families, funeral directors, cemetery workers, politicians, and folks from all walks of life. Except when something like Burr Oak happens the wounds are ripped wide open.

On Friday it was reported that the Alsip police looked the other way. The politicians local and national looked the other way. I do not know the local politicos who turned their heads from Burr Oak Cemetery. Most probably did not know. But I am aware that Democratic and Republican leaders in Washington of the past and present  have strong ties to the the Funeral and Cemetery interests. We will explore this further. I have no problem giving names because others have mentioned them before.

About a year ago I wrote a Funeral Book and said that the way to not being ripped off by the industry is to “make em follow the rules.” Problem is most people, even the authorities and those in the industry,  do not have a firm grip on the rules(law). Cemetery workers have no professional training. Ethics classes in Mortuary Schools for Funeral directors  are lame.

I am not holding out for cemetery and funeral reform. Where were the funeral directors in the Burr Oak Scandal?Some had to notice graves were gone when they rolled in driving  their black  hearses? -They collected the big money, looked the other way and went home.

So where are the owners of Burr Oak? Their negligence is quite incomprehensible. They have been conspicuously absent for a reason.  The owners of Perpetua, Inc and the investors that put money in Perpetua, Inc looked the other way as well.

Funeral and Cemetery Scandal needs to stop. Many need to speak up now. The moment is here.

Funeral Industry|by Your ANGRY Funeral guy

You can get some help here: Cook County Sheriff’s website:www.burroak.net

Burr oak cemetery pic from religion dispatches.org

Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal:No term burials at Burr Oak-yourfuneralguy

The good news is that Burr Oak cemetery did no term burials. This is according to cbs2 in Chicago. Term Burials or term graves as they are sometimes called are grave sites that are rented for 20 to 25 years. After that the headstone can be removed and a a grave sold on top of the older one. In this type of contract a new headstone can be placed.

It should be noted that caskets, bodies  and graves cannot be dug up without the family being notified. When it happens a Funeral Director has to be present.

The things that went on at Burr Oak Cemetery is an unspeakable crime.

Snippet from CBS2 local news

“Burr Oak Cemetery has never conducted term burials.“

You can search for headstones at Burr Oak Cemetery here: www.burroak.net

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