Police investigate damaged tombstones at Windsor cemetery
Roughly a dozen tombstones were knocked over
Police in Windsor have launched an investigation after roughly a dozen tombstones in a local cemetery were damaged.
Staff at the St. Alphonsus Roman Catholic Cemetery have wrapped the tombstones, knocked off their stone bases, in yellow caution tape.
Windsor police confirmed that they received a report on Monday "indicating that headstones had been knocked over" at the cemetery.
"This occurrence is in the early stages of investigation," a Windsor Police Services spokesperson said.
One local woman who visited the cemetery on Sunday said the scene overwhelmed her.
"I just couldn't get over how anyone could do that towards someone's resting space. They're in their final place," said Wendy Morano, who was there with her husband to visit her twin sister's grave.
Morano posted a video of the tombstone damage to social media, where fellow Windsorites reacted with sadness and anger.
A representative for the cemetery said the damaged tombstones have been marked and will be repaired when the ground dries out in the coming weeks.
It's not the first time the cemetery has been vandalized. In 2014, thieves damaged around 50 crypts when they removed vases and other items, leaving flowers and mementos on the ground.
The cemetery is home to decades-old graves, including those of veterans who served in the First and Second World Wars.
Morano said she and her twin were both born "very premature," and her sister did not survive.
"This is my only way to be with my sister," she said. "I never got that opportunity with her dying young."
Her sister's grave was not damaged, Morano said, but the experience of seeing the destruction nearby left her feeling traumatized nonetheless.
Morano said she posted the video so that other people whose family members are interred there would know to check on their loved ones' tombstones. "I couldn't imagine those poor people," she said.
She said she wants the public – and those who might be responsible for the damage – to know that there is already "so much hatred in our world right now."
"We just need to do better."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBC
2 days ago
- CBC
RCMP in P.E.I. to give an update about Friday's 'targeted' shooting into a car
RCMP are holding a news conference at 4 p.m. AT to update the public about what the agency has called a "targeted" shooting in a vehicle in the Urbainville area of western P.E.I. on Friday. Police said at the time that one man was dead and a woman was in hospital with serious injuries after the incident. RCMP are scheduled to give an update at 4 p.m. AT about what they have called a "targeted" shooting into a car Friday night in western Prince Edward Island that left at least one person dead. Scott Ferris, the RCMP's senior communications adviser for P.E.I., had previously told CBC News that the incident happened around 8 p.m. AT on Friday, in the Urbainville area near Wellington. When police responded to reports of shots being fired along the Hackmatack Road, they found a 2008 Toyota Corolla that appeared to have struck a utility pole and crashed into a ditch. The male driver was pronounced dead at the scene and a 50-year-old Summerside woman was taken to Prince County Hospital with serious injuries, Ferris said Saturday morning. Since then, hundreds of people have been sharing rumours on social media about what happened, with many asking why police have not confirmed whether they are seeking a specific suspect or alerting people living near where a suspected suspect may be hiding out. Sunday night, the RCMP sent out a followup statement. "There are extensive police resources deployed on this investigation," it said, listing RCMP Major Crime as the lead investigating body, with forensic, canine and traffic support as well as help from Summerside and Kensington's police agencies and the P.E.I. Coroners Office. This map of the Wellington region of P.E.I. shows Route 125, also known as Hackmatack Road, in yellow. (CBC) "These units and organizations are examining all aspects of the incident. These situations involve a wide range of police and public safety resources, personnel and effort, which requires time to do that work effectively. Collectively, these organizations are working hard to reach a successful outcome for public safety." The statement went on to say that it "is clear from the investigation so far... [that] the nature of this incident appears to be targeted and isolated. As for the greater risk to the public, we did not issue an Alert Ready message as this incident did not meet the strict criteria granted to police for using it." Police are asking anyone with information about the incident to contact Prince District RCMP at 902-853-9300 or 902-436-9300. People wanting to stay anonymous are being asked to call P.E.I. Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
CBC
6 days ago
- CBC
CBC News visual investigations: What we do
CBC News' visual investigations team uses open sources of information, digital forensics and traditional journalism techniques to break new stories that resonate with Canadians and shine on the world stage. This is a small sample of what we do and a look at who we are.
6 days ago
Voices call for justice, change after release of Titan implosion report
Family, friends, investigators and explorers say they're appalled and heartbroken, and are calling for accountability and justice after the United States Coast Guard released its final report on the implosion of the Titan submersible on Tuesday. The coast guard's Marine Board of Investigation report landed two years after OceanGate's Titan imploded while diving to the site of the Titanic wreck, killing all five people on board. The 335-page document outlines many problems with the company's operation, the integrity of the vessel and what led to the fatal incident in 2023. Hamish Harding, father and son Shahzada and Suleman Dawood, Paul-Henri Nargeolet and OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush were the crew members. The company suspended operations in July 2023. OceanGate spokesperson Christian Hammond told the Associated Press the company has been winding down, and was co-operating with the investigation. 'Not shocked' Harding was the chairman of Action Aviation. The company expressed its outrage over what the report revealed. We are obviously appalled by the contents of the investigation report, but not shocked, Mark Butler, CEO of Action Aviation, said in a statement to CBC News. It was very evident from the early stages of the investigation, now confirmed by the published report, that Mr. Rush had been trying to run his company on a shoestring, cutting corners, and paying little attention to basic safety and best practices. Butler took over for Harding after his death. He called Rush and his company's actions selfish and senseless. Butler said Harding's family have no plans to comment at this time. WATCH | U.S. Coast Guard releases damning report on Titan implosion: The family of Shahzada and Suleman Dawood also weighed in on the report's findings. In a statement to CBC News, the family said the report confirms that unregulated behaviour, a lack of accountability and a fundamentally flawed design caused the tragedy. But, it won't bring back what they've lost. No report can alter the heartbreaking outcome, nor fill the immeasurable void left by two cherished members of our family, the statement reads. The Dawood family also called for regulatory reform within the submersible industry. We believe that accountability and regulatory change must follow such a catastrophic failure. We hope this tragedy serves as a turning point and one that drives meaningful reform, rigorous safety standards, and effective oversight within the submersible industry, the statement reads. If Shahzada and Suleman's legacy can be a catalyst for regulatory change that helps prevent such a loss from ever happening again, it will bring us some measure of peace. Enlarge image (new window) Pieces of the Titan were scattered along the ocean floor after a fatal implosion during a dive to Titanic. Photo: Video thumbnail The Shaheed Suleman Dawood Mosque now stands in St. John's, made possible by a donation from Hussain Dawood, father and grandfather of the deceased. Suleman Dawood was the Titan's youngest passenger. He was 19 years old. 'There were really no checks and balances' The family of renowned French explorer Paul-Henri Nargeolet also expressed their desire for justice — beyond the report's findings. We also believe there are more entities legally responsible that weren't focused upon given how egregious OceanGate's conduct was, said Tony Buzzbee, the attorney representing Paul-Henri Nargeolet's estate, in a statement to CBC News. We look forward now to continuing our efforts in court to obtain justice for the family. Jason Neubauer, chair of the Marine Board of Investigation for Titan implosion, said OceanGate's workplace culture and failure to prioritize safety were key factors in the tragedy. OceanGate's culture was one of the worst, from a safety perspective, and it stems from a lot of different reasons, Neubauer said in an interview with CBC News. But the primary was that you had the head of the company, the CEO, serving in so many different roles. In the MBI report, Rush's relationship to the vessel is stated as chief pilot, chief executive officer and secretary of OceanGate's board of directors. He was a consolidation of power into one individual, and there were really no checks and balances, said Neubauer. If the CEO were still alive, Neubauer said MBI would recommend that a separate criminal investigation be opened for manslaughter. There was negligence involved there, not only from not complying with any of the regulatory standards and certifications and testing, but also for a failure to maintain the vessel with any standard of care, he said. There's negligence that would absolutely constitute a referral to the Department of Justice for a separate investigation. Neubauer said the company failed to follow through with safety systems put in place, disregarding safety data, even though warnings were there from the 2022 operating season. He also noted his surprise at the level of cost-cutting that occurred in OceanGate's operations. They downgraded the size of the support vessel so that the Titan had to be towed thousands of miles, said Neubauer. Enlarge image (new window) Wreckage from the Titan is hoisted from the ship that brought it back to St. John's harbour. Photo: Radio-Canada / PATRICK BUTLER The submersible was also stored outside over the winter in St. John's. That should have never occurred for a carbon fibre craft that is susceptible to porosity and moisture. Those things stand out, said Neubauer. The future of submersible exploration Larry Daley, Titanic expedition specialist, visited the Titanic wreck in a submersible himself in 2003, and considered Nargeolet a close friend. To him, the report revealed that the tragedy was one that could have been avoided. I knew in my heart and soul this was going to end poorly, Daley told CBC News. Daley said expeditions to the Titanic should continue, but safety should be a priority. Exploration is good. It'll keep going on for years. But you got to separate the fame from the fortune, Daley said. It all comes down to doing it safely and having the right equipment. Neubauer said the Titan, in his view, is a good case for regulatory change at an international level. Involving multiple nations and occurring on the high seas, he says it's one the International Maritime Organization could look at. In regard to submersible standards right now, they're recommendatory. We're going to recommend that they be mandatory just in case you have a situation like this, he said. Madison Taylor (new window) · CBC News · Journalist Madison Taylor is a multimedia journalist from Wellington, New Zealand, now based in St. John's, NL. With a passion for stories big and small, you can reach her at With files from Mark Quinn, Thomas Daigle and The Associated Press
