MOODY, Texas — Meloney Jefferson went to visit her son's grave at the Moody cemetery Tuesday and was heartbroken at what she found. Someone had taken the cross, flowers and other items Jefferson left at her son's grave to remember him and tossed them in a pile. Other people found items missing from their graves as well.
The volunteer who did it claimed he was just following the rules but 6 News contacted the board to and find out if that was true.
As of Thursday, the board had nothing to say.
6 News made over a dozen calls to Moody Cemetery Board President Glen Thurman and Cemetery Secretary Clydia Goodwin Thursday to find out if the new policy posted on cemetery grounds warranted the removal of flowers and mementos on multiple graves -- include that of 12-year-old Jace Jefferson. All calls went unanswered.
Jefferson died of cancer in 2016. He played baseball in Belton and in 2019 the baseball and softball complex at Heritage Park was named after him. Mother Meloney Jefferson posted pictures of the trashed items from his grave on Facebook.
Another picture Jefferson posted to her page showed a sign, posted by the Moody Cemetery Association, that lists what can be left at gravesites entitled "General regulations pertaining to the memorial addition to Moody cemetery."
Among the items prohibited are "benches of any type and ornamentation that interferes with mowing and maintenance of the space."
6 News tracked down Jerry Cagle, who is a volunteer for the association.
He said last year the association had received input that the sites needed to be better cleaned and mowed.
Cagle said the signs were posted last week and this week he started removing the items. He said they made it difficult to keep the sites properly mowed. Cagle also told 6 News, however, that the rules had not been enforced for a long time.
"They haven't been enforced that I'm aware of," Cagle said. "When we elected new officers last year I volunteered to be on the maintenance part."
It is still not clear if the board intended to start enforcing the current policy this week or if Cagle made the decision himself.
In her Facebook post Jefferson wrote, "Had I been notified or told things had to be moved I would have been more than happy to abide by any rule."
Cagle said the association has no way to notify all the plot owners.
When Jefferson contacted Cemetery Secretary Clydia Goodwin on Wednesday, however, she says she got a slightly different story.
"She simply told me they didn't have the resources to send out letters or reach out to people so it was our responsibility to reach out to them." Jefferson said. "Apparently there was a board meeting in January when this was decided so I asked her how they notified the public. She said the only notice they give was hanging signs in local businesses."
When 6 News went back out to the Moody Cemetery Thursday, some grave sites still had ornaments or small figurines next to them while others did not so it remained unclear exactly what was allowed at the sites and what was prohibited.
Texas law does allow cemeteries to make their own rules for plots and grave sites, but Jefferson says volunteers and board members should still know better than to trash items on grave sites.
"For any organization, you volunteer to help. You don't volunteer to destroy...to hurt people," Jefferson said.
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