A shocked woman discovered her father’s grave was missing from the Barbados Cemetery

Losing a loved one—especially parents—is among life’s most difficult experiences. Witnessing them get burned or buried is more heartbreaking. It is often difficult and it takes a long time to recover from their passing. Individuals often pay floral tributes to the graves of those important to them because they believe the inscription on the tombstone to be a living reminder of the departed. Imagine the anguish of a little girl who, after learning that her father had not been buried, was unable to say goodbye to him before he passed away.

After Joseph Lynch resigned from the police, he and his wife Greta relocated to Barbados. The couple wanted to spend their last years in the warm climate. Joseph, who was 81 years old, passed away on November 20, 2014, after an unexpected diagnosis of prostate cancer in 2014. His daughter Susanna, who was then employed by the prison service, hurried to get a flight to Barbados with her brother right away, but they were unable to arrive in time to say goodbye to him.

The family sought a motorcycle escort for Joseph’s last trip at the funeral on December 5, 2014, however, the Barbados authorities took a long time to reply, therefore the family was unable to arrange for the motorcycle escort.

Susanna went back to Barbados in August 2022, this time accompanied by her husband, Brian. She was hoping to go sooner, but entry to the Caribbean island was restricted because of the virus. When she went to the cemetery, she became aware that something was off. She strolled to the precise location of her father’s grave and searched in vain for the wooden cross bearing his name.

The Metro reported that her father’s burial remained unaccounted for. The news outlet was informed by Susanna that “the entire grave was gone.” “Are you sure this is the right place?” my husband said, and I thought I was losing my mind. I proceeded to go to the same location, but my father was not there. They located a staff member who delivered the most heartbreaking news to them. Five years later, graves at the Barbados cemetery were excavated, and the remains were placed in a large “bone hole.” Belgium, Germany, and Singapore all use these methods.

Joseph’s family was unaware of this, despite the fact that it was standard procedure on this Caribbean island as well. Not even the indigenous people knew about these customs. When Susanna learned that her father was in that bone pit, she said she was at a loss for words about the experience and how it made her feel. “It’s just a nightmare now; he wanted to be buried in the place he loved and we’d had so many happy memories in Barbados.”

After returning home, Susanna began corresponding with lawmakers and ministers. Adam Price, a councillor for Gillingham North, promised to assist her. The office of Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados sent her a letter expressing her “sincere apology” for the suffering she had experienced. She insisted on the removal of these regulations in addition to an apology.