DELRAY BEACH, Fla. — Sandra Owens says the Delray Beach Memorial Gardens Municipal Cemetery triggers a wave of emotions.
"It took me some time to get my head, because I was all emotional," Owens said.
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Owens says a year after her parents died and were buried in 2005, she bought her own burial plot next to them. The city confirmed she purchased the plot in 2006.
Fast forward to 2024 — Owens made a startling discovery during a visit.
"I went to visit my parents' burial site, and lo and behold, there's some guy buried with the whole plot and everything," Owens said.
Owens was shocked to find out her burial plot had been resold.
"I've lost sleep; I wake up at night because it's just not right," Owens said.
The city says the issue stems from a cemetery management software error that listed the already-sold plot as available.
The city's attorney's office has been involved in the resolution process, offering Owens a full refund, adjacent burial plots so she can be laid to rest, or the option to relocate her mother's remains at no cost to an adjacent available space.
But those are resolutions Owens does not want. Since her only son is in the military, she says she wants to be next to her parents.
"I'm like, I don't want to be buried in the back of the cemetery; I want to be buried where I paid for," Owens said.
"They offered me, well, we can give you your money back. I said no, no, no. I didn't worry about dying because now, I knew where I was going to be buried. Now they're sending out memos: there are no more plots in the Delray cemetery," Owens said.
The city says its software has been replaced and, at this time, it does not know of any other impacted plots.
WPTV reporter Zitlali Solache reached out to city commissioners about alternative solutions and is still waiting to hear back.
Meanwhile, Owens says she has been in touch with attorneys and is exploring legal options. “At the end of the day, Zitlali, all I want to do is be buried next to my mother," Owens said. "It's just a mess.”
Statement from the City of Delray Beach:
"This is an unfortunate situation, and the City recognizes the significance of the circumstances for everyone involved. We regret that this occurred and remain committed to working with the resident to identify a respectful resolution while honoring the rights of all families affected. The City has confirmed that the resident purchased the burial plot in 2006. Our review determined that the issue resulted from an error associated with the cemetery management software that was in use at the time, which incorrectly identified a previously sold plot as available. That software has since been replaced, and additional safeguards and procedures have been implemented to prevent this situation from occurring again. Since learning of the issue, City staff has worked directly with the resident over an extended period to identify a resolution. Throughout those discussions, we have remained committed to treating all families with dignity and compassion. Because another individual has since been laid to rest in the plot, this matter now involves the wishes and legal rights of two families. The City cannot unilaterally authorize the disinterment of a loved one without the consent of that family and all applicable legal requirements being met. To resolve the matter, the City has offered several options, including a full refund of the original purchase price, providing adjacent burial plots so the resident can be laid to rest next to her brother, or relocating her mother's remains at no cost to an adjacent available space so the resident may ultimately be buried beside her mother. While we understand these options may not be the resident's preferred outcome, they reflect our effort to find a compassionate solution while respecting the rights and dignity of everyone affected. We remain willing to continue working with the resident should she wish to discuss any available options."
