KFOR.com Oklahoma City

Growing complaints surrounding Fletcher Cemetery, more families coming forward about burial placement errors

FLETCHER, Ok (KFOR) – More and more families are coming forward claiming their late loved ones have been misplaced in plots in the Fletcher Cemetery. Some are also saying other families have been placed in the plot deeds they own. After almost a year for one family, nothing is getting done. 

Since our story aired a couple of weeks ago, several families have reached out to Aimee Lowery, the one we originally spoke to, claiming they too are having the same problem. Now affected families are wanting answers and solutions from the city of Fletcher which owns the cemetery.

After Aimee Lowery’s six-year-old daughter, died from a car accident, they bought three plots next to her for their family. Since then, someone else’s family member has been buried in the spot they own. 

Several families replying to Lowery’s Facebook post regarding the issue say they are dealing with the same thing. One mother is sure that her son’s plot placement doesn’t match cemetery records.  

“According to their book, he was written down in a plot that was not by the deed that was given to us. He was one over. So he was recorded in a plot that was not matching the deed that was given to us… They had said, we’re going to have to get back with you because we need to verify them with the cemetery,” said Lesha Paige, family who has been affected at Fletcher Cemetery.

Fletcher Cemetery, image KFOR

A different woman told us her dad was exhumed and moved after being placed in the wrong plot. “When this happened, I believed it was an honest mistake, but to find out this has been going on even before my dad had to be moved is not a mistake, it is a choice.” 

Other families say it is all not adding up. One woman tells KFOR, “This morning, the city manager of Fletcher refused to give access to public records regarding a plot in the cemetery.” That woman has left contact information with the city manager for the attorney. She wants the attorney to call and give her access to the public records. 

We reached out to the City of Fletcher again for a comment, and they declined to speak with us today for the second time. 

The Mayor of Fletcher tells KFOR, OMAG, an attorney’s office in Edmond is now handling the issue. We’ve reached out to them as well and have not heard back.

Lowery says she’s reached out to the governor, several state senators and all 48 representatives. She says the mistakes have caught the eye of State Sen. Chris Kidd. His executive assistant said, “He is very interested in helping resolve this and will be working with other area legislators on solutions and possible legislation this upcoming session.”

Kidd has gotten back to us and said, “My office has been contacted by Aimee Lowery about this extremely difficult situation, and I intend to work with our staff to see if there may be an appropriate legislative response to ensure other families are not faced with such circumstances moving forward.” 

“I would like to see a bill passed, more state regulations regarding cemeteries. And even if that means some sort of audit or maybe each cemetery has to document, maybe at the courthouse, there’s got to be a better way of keeping track of this,” said Lowery.

Gov. Kevin Stitt’s office responded to Lowery Thursday, stating they recommended she reach out to her local legislators and present her ideas and thoughts of proposing new legislation to them since the governor does not directly write legislation, but that’s exactly what she has done and is getting nowhere.  

Lowery is now working with an attorney to get this issue resolved.