SunshineBloggers Announces Growing Need for Burial Regulation Observance
New York, NY (PRWEB) August 30, 2013 -- Sunshine Bloggers announced a rapidly expanding need for proper, more intensive burial regulations. This announcement came on the heels of a Richmond Register article published on August 28th and entitled “Family Discovers Mother’s Burial Did Not Meet Regulations”. The article discussed a distraught family’s discovery that their beloved mother was buried too shallowly to meet regulations, necessitating a second, deeper burial. Though cemetery burial plot regulations are different in areas considered third world countries such as Libya, or even Bob Marley’s homeland, Jamaica, American regulations are designed to protect both the living and the dead from the spread of disease and the possibility of unintentional exhumation by an animal.
Crystal Wylie began her aforementioned article with the simple tale of a family intending to honor their deceased mother by planting shrubs over her grave. Upon digging a shallow hole over the grave site, however, the siblings found that they’d run into a concrete barrier—a barrier they soon found to be the concrete encompassing their mother’s grave. The slab was discovered to be less than a foot from the ground’s surface—despite regulations requiring at least 2 feet. The cemetery’s director confirmed that the gravesite was too shallow, though he did not offer a reason as to why the mistake was made. The siblings faced a decision: their mother’s coffin was either to be exhumed and reburied, or, due to the low-lying nature of her burial plot, could be covered over with a thick layer of soil, bringing the depth up from 9 inches to 24 inches. The siblings had not yet made a decision. An investigation regarding other plots in the area is underway.
Gravesites are far more than just a means of disposing of those who have passed away; cemetery plots allow the family members of the deceased to visit from time to time, and honor a loved one with plants or mementos. Regulations were put in place to ensure both that the living are protected from the spread of disease, and to ensure that those put to rest are not accidentally exhumed by an animal’s wayward paws. Burial rites differ from place to place; even in America, many different rites and rituals are observed. Some cultures within America dress in ceremonial garb, displaying their native world fashion and celebrate the deceased’s new journey, while others dress in black and mourn the loss of a loved one. Whatever the culture or tradition, however, it is important to ensure that the deceased are treated with care and respect, adhering to all set health codes and regulations. While the case reported by Wylie is not common, it still begs the question of how a woman’s burial was able to be over 1 foot too shallow, despite strict regulations. This instance suggests that, while regulations have been put in place, they are not being forcefully observed, whether by law enforcement, city workers, or the funeral director. This demonstrates both disrespect for the families who have lost a loved one, and the people who have died. To rectify this situation and prevent others like it, cities need to more effectively enforce the regulations set forth for burial procedures.
Crystal Wylie is a staff writer for the Richmond Register, a publication delivering news to Richmond, Kentucky and the surrounding areas. Wylie’s work typically involves announcing local news items of interest, without a singular focus or scope. She has been writing for the Register for 7 years.
Following an article detailing the failure to adequately bury a Richmond, Kentucky mother, Sunshine Bloggers announced the need for greater observance of burial regulations. Destroying the fairytale notion of visiting with a loved one after she has passed, three of the mother’s children discovered that their mother’s grave was buried too shallowly, necessitating either an exhumation and reburial, or the addition of over 12 inches of soil. In light of the devastation such a discovery might cause, Sunshine Bloggers urged city ordinance workers and funeral directors alike to ensure that burial plots are dug adequately, and people’s loved ones are sufficiently laid to rest.
About SunshineBloggers:
SunshineBloggers is an online resource for environmentally focused news and advice columns, including topics involving personal finances and lifestyle.
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