Mother asking for answers after uncovering daughter’s overgrown grave at Kansas City cemetery
By Matt Flener
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KANSAS CITY, Missouri (KMBC) — A mother is asking for answers after finding her daughter’s headstone buried under weeds and grass at XII Gates Cemetery in southeast Kansas City.
Charity Hooper laid her 6-year-old daughter, Angel, to rest at the cemetery 12 years ago after she was killed in a drive-by shooting. Hooper visited the cemetery, located at 9500 E. Bannister Road, on Oct. 17, on the 12th anniversary of Angel’s death.
“This is my daughter’s tombstone,” Hooper said as she then uncovered grass and weeds from her aunt’s tombstone nearby. “Like literally, this is what I had to do to uncover my daughter’s tombstone.”
“When I came out here, I literally was dizzy,” she said. “Just walking in circles, dizzy, trying to find my baby’s tombstone.”
Hooper shared her story on social media this week, and KMBC saw mowers working at the cemetery on Thursday. However, a worker later asked KMBC 9 Investigates to leave the property following an interview with Hooper.
KMBC 9 Investigates eventually found the owner of the cemetery, Saundra McFadden-Weaver, at her office.
She attributed the overgrowth to weather-related delays.
“I’m apologizing to you, Ms. Hooper, and if you would be kind enough to give me a call, we’ll correct whatever the problem is,” McFadden-Weaver said.
Public records reviewed by KMBC 9 Investigates revealed that the cemetery owes nearly $36,000 in overdue tax bills. Additionally, Twelve Gates Incorporated, the cemetery’s owner, has been administratively dissolved by the Missouri secretary of state.
“I think that everything’s being handled with the state of Missouri,” she said. “And we are in the middle of doing all of those things that need to be done.”
Hooper continues to grieve the loss of her daughter, whom she remembers for her big heart.
She wants to make sure to continue to honor her well.
“They’re mowing today,” she said. “Hopefully they’ll keep it up.”
She is organizing a cleanup at the cemetery this Sunday at 10 a.m.
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