Latest news with #gravestone
Washington Post
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Graves near site of Maryland reform school for Black children rediscovered
At the base of a towering tree in an overgrown Maryland forest, the gravestone of William Jones has been pushed sideways by roots and earth in the 138 years since he was buried there. Jones, a Black boy from Baltimore, was 17 in 1887 when he is believed to have died while imprisoned at what was then the House of Reformation and Instruction for Colored Children. The facility — now called the Cheltenham Youth Detention Center — is still located across a winding road from his resting place. Another 100 mossy graves believed to belong to more Black children sit nearby, their weathered tombstones sinking into the forest floor beneath leaves and branches. For more than a century, their stories have been lost and their graves left to deteriorate, despite records that show state officials have been aware of the segregated cemetery since at least the 1970s. There is no sign marking it, no memorial acknowledging what happened here, no groundskeeper to sweep away the brush and the bramble. There are no flowers left by family, because there are no headstones, just rows and rows of unmarked cinder blocks that symbolize Maryland's long and complicated history with the incarceration of Black people. But a coalition of current and former state officials is working to change that. 'There's a direct through line to the practices of yesterday to what we can do today to rectify how we're handling children in our prison system,' Maryland state Sen. William C. Smith Jr. (D-Montgomery) said during a visit to the cemetery Thursday. 'I think this history grounds all of us in understanding what our predecessors did and our obligation as leaders today to rectify that practice.' Standing among the abandoned gravestones, Smith, the chair of the Maryland Senate's Judicial Proceedings Committee, and former Department of Juvenile Services secretary Vincent Schiraldi outlined their hopes for the grounds — and the racial reconciliation they believe should follow. Already, an application for a roadside marker is pending before the Maryland Department of Transportation to acknowledge where the state created the segregated House of Reformation in 1870. A separate application for a $250,000 state grant has been submitted to the Department of Planning to help pay for rehabilitating the cemetery site. More than that, though, Smith and Schiraldi said, they want the state to reckon with the injustices of the past through action in the present. Maryland ranks fourth in the nation in its percentage of people incarcerated for crimes they committed as children. Aside from Alabama, the state charges more children as adults per capita than any other in the nation. And in Maryland, Black children are seven times as likely to be charged as adults than their White peers, officials have said. Schiraldi, who resigned from Democratic Gov. Wes Moore's Cabinet last month amid tension over juvenile crime in the state, said it is critical that Maryland rectify the wrongs that lawmakers and political leaders enabled for decades. 'We have to make sure we don't repeat the mistakes of the past,' Schiraldi said Thursday. 'They were doing some things in the past that were unacceptable and despicable, like segregating kids by race and treating the kids of color more poorly and burying them in a potter's field. But at least they were taking them out of the adult prisons of the day.' Smith said he will again introduce a bill during next year's legislative session to change a law that automatically sends young people accused of one of 33 offenses to the adult court system. Smith's bill would shorten that list to include only the most violent offenses, including murder and rape. Spokespeople for the department and Moore did not answer questions Thursday about whether the administration plans to back Smith's legislation, which the Department of Juvenile Services previously supported under Schiraldi. The DJS spokesperson said that the department's research is 'powerful work that is vital to telling the agency's often uncomfortable history' and that officials under acting secretary Betsy Fox Tolentino are 'evaluating steps forward for the research' into the abandoned cemetery. Moore's spokesperson, who did not address questions about the cemetery, said in a statement that the administration will continue to 'preserve the history of this state, uplift the stories of our people, ensure Marylanders are aware of the state's long and often complicated history, and work to repair generations of decisions that negatively impacted Marylanders.' The Maryland General Assembly established the House of Reformation and Instruction for Colored Children some 20 years after lawmakers had established a similar facility — a 'House of Refuge' — for White children. State lawmakers wrote back then that Black children were being held in the state's adult penitentiary, some as young as 5 years old and 'so small as to be able to creep through the prison bars.' Established as a privately run corporation in rural Prince George's County, the reform school would eventually include a sprawling campus with a farm on which the children worked, a two-story factory, a hospital, classrooms and living quarters, according to documents from the Maryland Historical Trust. About 250 Black children and teens were admitted annually, according to state archives. Boys were sent to the reform school for 'begging, vagrancy, criminal acts, or incorrigibility,' researchers wrote in state documents. The House of Reformation was marked by years of complaints about deplorable conditions, prompting the state to take control in 1937. The facility was desegregated by order of Maryland's high court in July 1961, seven years after the U.S. Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education decision. Evidence that modern state officials were aware of the cemetery dates back to at least the 1970s, when the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission surveyed the property. A comprehensive study of the land and cemetery was conducted by the state in 2009, when historians documented the site with maps and photos. Then last year, Schiraldi and his staff began a project to research and document the history of the DJS with the hope of educating the staff on the legacy of juvenile justice in the state and promoting a sense of stewardship over the direction the agency was headed. During a tour of the facility grounds, led by a longtime department employee who had become the unofficial historian at Cheltenham, he asked officials if they had ever heard of the old cemetery. They had not, so they crossed the road and traipsed through the woods, searching for an hour between trees and through overgrowth for the gravestones before giving up. DJS staff later contacted the Maryland Historical Trust, which provided a cemetery map created during their 2009 survey of the area. Last fall, DJS officials and staff — this time accompanied by two justice-involved teens and their parents — ventured back into the woods. They found the tombstone for William Jones and the grave markers for three other boys: Anthon Jones, 11; Asbury Brown, 15; and a 16-year-old whose last name was Washington. They were overcome by the sight, said Marc Schindler, Schiraldi's former chief of staff. They gathered in a circle, and one of the teens' mothers asked if she could pray. As they left the woods that day, Schindler said, one of the teens told him the state needed to act. These children didn't deserve to be cast aside without recognition, the teen said, just because they were Black and imprisoned. That is when state officials initiated their bid for restoration grant money. Along the way, the DJS came across an online repository of death certificates for boys who died at the facility — a trove of documents that had been discovered and uploaded by a woman named Rosemary Clark. Clark, 65, who grew up in Prince George's County, had developed a hobby of cemetery and genealogy research. While sifting through death certificates in 2021, she came across one for a young boy who had died at the House of Reformation. It struck her, she said, because the child was listed as an 'inmate.' In the course of additional research, she found another death certificate from the House of Reformation, and then another. Initially, she said in an interview, she thought there had been some kind of illness outbreak at the facility. She kept digging, though, and found tales in old newspaper archives of abuse and neglect. To date, she has found more than 100 death certificates for boys who died at the House of Reformation between 1898, when Maryland first started requiring death certificates, and 1930. 'They can't be made whole,' Clark said, 'but they at least deserve some respect in death that they didn't get in life.' Barmas Benton turned off his riding lawn mower and walked into the woods Thursday, joining the search for Cheltenham's lost cemetery, which he had learned about in October. Benton, a groundskeeper for Cheltenham Veterans Cemetery, has lived in Prince George's County since childhood, once attending Sunday school at a building on the grounds of the detention facility. He had known for decades about the school there, recalling the alerts neighbors would receive about children who had escaped. 'Look at the ages over there,' Benton said, standing among the graves. 'They're all under 18, and some of them were used for child labor.' 'It was kind of like they were abusing the system to get these kids to help support the economy in this area for the farms,' he continued. 'No, slavery wasn't around anymore. This was a new form of slavery.' Smith first learned about the cemetery a few weeks ago. But Thursday was the first time he had visited. 'It's a somber discovery,' Smith said, as he read the dates on the tombstones. 'To see this and just think about how people were treated and all the lost opportunities, lost futures that we're looking at.'
The Sun
06-07-2025
- The Sun
Heartbroken family of boy, 4, killed when gravestone crushed him return to scene
THE family of a four-year-old boy who was killed when a gravestone crushed him returned to the scene yesterday. They sobbed, hugged and comforted each other in the cemetery as the tragedy sank in. It was understood a large stone cross became detached from the base of the gravestone. A woman — believed to be his mother — stood at the grave. Others left floral tributes. One read: 'Our Darling, Our Little Chaos Boy. "I hope you're playing with the angels and that super grandad is giving you all the cuddles and kisses that we no longer can.' Another read: 'Vibrant flowers for our vibrant boy.' The incident happened at 1pm on Saturday in Rawtenstall, Lancs. Lancashire Police said the death was not being treated as suspicious. Rossendale Council said it was working to determine the circumstances of the tragedy. Andy MacNae, MP for Rossendale and Darwen, said: 'My thoughts go out to the family and everyone affected by the tragic incident in Rawtenstall cemetery, which has claimed the life of a four-year-old boy.' 1
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Yahoo
4-Year-Old Boy Killed After Being Crushed by a Falling Gravestone: 'Terrible Tragedy'
A 4-year-old boy has died after he was struck by a falling gravestone at a cemetery on July 5 Lancashire Police told PEOPLE that paramedics tried to save the child, but he sustained fatal injuries in the accident The local council is investigating the incident, and police said the boy's death is being treated as accidentalA 4-year-old boy has died after he was struck by a falling gravestone. According to reports from the BBC, Sky News and ITV, the boy, whose name has not been made public, was at Rawtenstall Cemetery in Haslingden, Rossendale — located about 15 miles north of Manchester — at around 1 p.m. local time on Saturday, July 5, when the gravestone fell on him. Lancashire Police told PEOPLE in a statement that officers and paramedics tried to save the child, but his injuries were too severe. "Tragically, and despite the best efforts of the emergency services, the boy sadly died," police said. "Our thoughts are with his loved ones at this devastating time." "His death is not being treated as suspicious, and a file will be passed onto HM Coroner in due course," the department added. According to ITV and Sky News, the cemetery is operated by the local Rossendale Borough Council. The council said in a statement following the boy's death that it is working to understand how the incident happened. "We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of a young child at Rawtenstall Cemetery today," a spokesperson said, per the outlets. "Our thoughts are with the family at this devastating time. Rossendale Borough Council is working with all relevant agencies to understand the circumstances of this incident." A number of local officials also spoke out about the tragic incident, including Member of Parliament Andy MacNae, who wrote on social media: "My thoughts go out to the family and everyone affected by the tragic incident in Rawtenstall cemetery today which has claimed the life of a four year old boy, whose death is not being treated as suspicious." Councillor Liz McInnes said that the local community was "grieving" following the boy's death, per the BBC. "This is a terrible tragedy," she added. "My heartfelt and deepest sympathies to the family of this poor boy." Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. According to police, the boy's identity will not be made public, and the family has asked for privacy in the wake of his death. "The boy's family have asked for their privacy to be respected and allow them space to grieve," Lancashire Police told PEOPLE. "Therefore we will not be naming the child or releasing a tribute or any photographs of him. Thank you in advance for your assistance with this delicate matter." Read the original article on People
Sky News
06-07-2025
- Sky News
Boy, four, dies after gravestone falls on him at Rawtenstall Cemetery in Lancashire, police say
A four-year-old boy has died after a gravestone fell on him at a cemetery, police have said. The boy was fatally injured at Rawtenstall Cemetery on Burnley Road, Haslingden, at lunchtime on Saturday, Lancashire Police said. Paramedics tried to save him but "tragically" the boy died in the "devastating" incident, the force said in a statement. Officers were called to the cemetery at 1pm "following reports a gravestone had fallen onto a child. "Tragically, and despite the best efforts of the emergency services, the boy sadly died. Our thoughts are with his loved ones at this devastating time." His death was not being treated as suspicious and a file will be sent to the coroner "in due course". Rossendale Borough Council posted on X on Saturday evening: "We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of a young child at Rawtenstall Cemetery today. Our thoughts are with the family at this devastating time. Andy MacNae, Labour MP for Rossendale and Darwen, said on Facebook his thoughts went out to the family and everyone affected by the "tragic incident". Local councillor Liz McInnes also wrote on Facebook it was "a terrible tragedy. My heartfelt and deepest sympathies to the family of this poor boy. The whole of Rawtenstall is grieving".
Daily Telegraph
06-07-2025
- Daily Telegraph
Child killed by falling headstone in cemetery
Don't miss out on the headlines from World. Followed categories will be added to My News. A four-year-old boy has tragically died after a gravestone reportedly fell onto him in a cemetery. Paramedics rushed to Rawtenstall Cemetery in Lancashire, UK, at around 1pm today where police confirmed the boy had sadly died. Lancashire Police have said his death is not being treated as suspicious and said they will pass a file to the HM Coroner 'in due course', The Sun reported. A spokesperson for Lancashire Police said: 'We were called to Rawtenstall Cemetery at 1pm today [July 5] following reports a gravestone had fallen onto a child. 'Tragically, and despite the best efforts of the emergency services, the boy sadly died. 'Our thoughts are with his loved ones at this devastating time. 'His death is not being treated as suspicious and a file will be passed onto HM Coroner in due course.' A toddler has been killed by a gravestone in cemetery. Picture: Google Maps Rossendale Council said it is working with the relevant authorities to understand the circumstances of the incident. 'We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of a young child at Rawtenstall Cemetery on Saturday,' a council spokesperson said. 'Our thoughts are with the family at this devastating time. 'Rossendale Borough Council is working with all relevant agencies to understand the circumstances of this incident.' Andy MacNae, MP for Rossendale and Darwen, said: 'My thoughts go out to the family and everyone affected by the tragic incident in Rawtenstall cemetery, which has claimed the life of a four-year-old boy.' Liz McInnes, lead member for communities, housing, health and well-being, has said that the 'whole of Rawtenstall is grieving', after the tragic incident. The toddler died after a headstone fell on him. Picture: Supplied 'This is a terrible tragedy. My heartfelt and deepest sympathies to the family of this poor boy. The whole of Rawtenstall is grieving,' she said. Police confirmed that the death is not being treated as suspicious and will pass a file to the coroner's office. Rossendale Council has also confirmed to the Lancashire Telegraph that it is working with the relevant authorities to understand the circumstances of the incident. This story originally appeared on The Sun and was republished with permission. Originally published as Child dies after headstone falls on him at cemetery
