Tombstones toppled as vandals strike Windsor cemetery

Tombstones have been vandalized at a local cemetery. CTV Windsor’s Stefanie Masotti talks to mourners and staff appalled by the act.

Some loved ones are outraged after visiting St. Alphonsus Roman Catholic Cemetery and unexpectedly coming across multiple tombstones toppled over.

“This absolutely breaks my heart,” said Wendy Morano in a video posted to social media. “Who comes to a cemetery and defaces plots?”

She was visiting the grave of her twin sister when she came across the disturbing sight.

“Come on people. Do better,” she went on to say.

The cemetery, which is maintained by Heavenly Rest, confirmed to CTV News Windsor, twelve tombstones were vandalized two weeks ago.

“It’s heartbreaking,” said Linda Rochon Perrone, general manager for the Western Region of Heavenly Rest.

She said unfortunately this was not the first act of vandalism.

“This is a sacred cemetery. People put their loved ones here expecting that they are going to be taken care of,” she said. “When you come through and do damage like this it’s not fun, it’s not cool, it causes a lot of heartbreak for families and for everyone who sees it.”

“We are going to get the crew on it as fast as we can,” said grounds manager Steve Dogal.

Dogal said to return the headstones to their original resting place special machinery it required.

“Unfortunately, we had a wet spring. We are going to have to wait until the ground dries,” he said.

Rochon Perrone has contacted police.

She wants the public to contact Heavenly Rest or police if they witness anything suspicious.

More details to come.