BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. — A Boynton Beach couple says they are heartbroken after a cemetery clean-up left precious family mementos tossed into a dumpster.
Pete Stergiou and his spouse made their weekly visit to a Boynton Beach cemetery last Friday, where they pay tribute to his late parents. Instead of finding the gravesite as they left it, they discovered the cherished items they had placed there were gone.
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"Usually you could see our stuff while we're driving in there, I was like what the heck is going on," Stergiou said.
Among the missing items were crosses Stergiou had painted gold and two small Greek flags he had placed at the gravesite.
"We actually got some crosses that I got some pretty decent sized ones. I painted one gold, I got two little greek flags, one on each to put on," Stergiou said.
The couple believes the items were removed and placed in a dumpster on the cemetery grounds. When they looked inside, they found more than just their own belongings.
"It was so full. And like looking in there there was people's pictures and religious artifacts — crosses, statues," Stergiou said.
"And they just got rid of it without even letting us know," Stergiou said.
Stergiou says the lack of notice left him searching for answers.
"I just went there to put fresh flowers and everything was gone," Stergiou said.
I reached out to the city and the facility for comment. While waiting for a response from both, I obtained their rules, which state that three moveable items are allowed at a gravesite and that some decorations are prohibited.
"I feel like there should be some kind of answer," Stergiou said.
"Especially something so sentimental, family members that have passed away," Stergiou said.
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