High Point, NC -- Imagine finding someone else buried in a cemetery plot next to the rest of your family. And you already paid for it. Barbara Patrick, a Madison, NC woman says it happened to her and she is heartbroken.
She says because of the mix-up, her son, who died in December, cannot be buried next to the rest of the family.
Documents showed that in 1987, Patrick purchased four plots - for herself, her husband and two children at Oakwood Memorial Park in High Point.
Her husband died in 2002 so she often went back to clean the area and check on the plots. Just this past December she went back only to find someone else buried where her son was supposed to be.
To make matters worse, as she was trying to get the whole thing straightened out, her son died of a heart attack.
"It hurts really badly. It hurts really badly because I'm going to be here, my daughter, now she'll be over here and my son is not going to be here," said Patrick. "I wanted us to be together. And so now my son he's in a box on a dresser in my daughter-in-law's house."
Patrick came to us here at News 2 asking for answers and Monday morning, she says the cemetery owner agreed he made a mistake and would pay her back.
But the 62-year-old woman says the resolution isn't enough and now she's worried about the two empty plots she still owns.
"I'm worried because, really, I didn't get what I should have gotten for my plot," she said.
Our calls, Monday, to the owner of the cemetery went to a voicemail that was full.
But we were able to talk with the owner on Tuesday morning.
Oakwood Memorial Park Owner Charlie Dye told News 2 that there was a mix up and on Monday, he and Barbara Patrick came to an agreement.
Dye said he reimbursed Partick the full amunt that she paid for the plot.
"She is satisfied. There was a misundertsnding and everything is fine now," said Dye.
There are cases just like this across the country.
So keep this in mind if you own or are buying plots:
- Make sure you have a title or a deed before you make the final payment or go back and ask for one.
- Keep all your receipts.
- If you find out your plot is mistakenly sold to someone else, try resolving the problem with the cemetery
- if that doesn't work, contact the North Carolina Cemetery Commission
- And also, file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau so other people don't end up in the same situation.
You can find more information and other helpful tips here from the BBB.
WFMY News 2