CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Imagine your loved one's gravesite getting trampled leaving crushed flowers and flags. That is exactly what happened to the gravesite of one woman's veteran grandfather.
Celestino Cisneros -- a Korean War veteran -- passed away from diabetes five years ago.
Every Sunday after church his wife of 62 years, Sylvia Cisneros, goes to visit his gravesite at Memory Gardens Funeral and Cemetery.
His granddaughter Veronica Lopez said it was two weeks ago when they noticed the mess.
"My concern was seeing all the flowers and the flags on the floor and it's not just him, it is other people," she said.
She said she immediately took pictures of the site.
"Grandma had already gone to the office and talked to them to try and get this tent moved and cleaned up, but they won't," Lopez said.
Sylvia Cisneros said a week later the tent was still there.
Lopez said it isn't the first time she has seen flags trampled on the grounds. She said the lack of respect angers her.
"Here they are throwing around the flowers of the ones who are deceased and basically saying that their lives didn't matter," Lopez said. "And for the veterans it's like whatever they did for the country doesn't matter."
They said they want the tent removed and the gravesites cleaned up.
"Take the tent and put the flowers back," Lopez said. "We are really not asking for much just a little respect."
In a statement, Memory Gardens said they take concerns seriously and want to keep their property well-maintained.
"Our client families should always have a peaceful environment to visit and remember their loved ones," the statement read. "If anyone has concerns about their property at our cemetery, they should contact the cemetery office. Out of respect for the privacy of our client families, we cannot comment on the specifics of any family’s gravesite."
Lopez said she wants to visit her grandfather's gravesite in peace without distractions.
"He was my number one," she said smiling. "We were very close. There are still days where I cry because I miss him. It doesn't matter how old the person is once they are gone -- that is a void in your life."
Action 10 News contacted Memory Gardens again via email sharing the pictures Lopez took. The company has not responded.