Mother Calls for CCTV After Theft from Infant’s Grave

A woman, who was pregnant when her infant son passed away following a severe car accident that necessitated his premature birth, is advocating for the installation of CCTV cameras at a cemetery after items were stolen from his burial site. Tasha Morris, mother of Oscar, who died in August, expressed anger upon discovering that her son’s grave in Leominster cemetery, Herefordshire, had been targeted. Ms. Morris has urged for enhanced security measures at the location to assist in identifying individuals who deface or pilfer from graves moving forward. Nevertheless, Herefordshire Council, while stating it was “incredibly saddened” by the incident, indicated it has no current intentions to install CCTV, citing a commitment to “continue to respect the privacy of people visiting graves.” Ms. Morris sustained severe injuries in the collision, requiring urgent abdominal surgery. Oscar died during the crash and was delivered during the surgical procedure. She stated, “Because I was so injured and ill myself, it was really hard to be able to grieve the loss of Oscar.” She explained that the grave had recently been adorned with a white heart and a blue bear floral arrangement, but three days subsequent to this, she discovered they were missing. “My heart just sank when I realised they were missing,” she recounted. She added, “I was so angry and upset that someone would steal from a baby that hadn’t done anything to anyone.” Ms. Morris further stated: “I’m angry because a cemetery is a very precious place with a lot of sentimental items, and a lot of people that were loved and the fact there are no cameras to protect such precious places is crazy.” Ms. Morris expressed concern that such incidents could recur if surveillance cameras are not put in place. However, the council reiterated its position of not planning to install cameras, opting instead to prioritize the privacy of visitors. A spokesperson for the council commented, “We are incredibly saddened to hear that a theft may have taken place in Leominster cemetery.” The spokesperson continued, “We completely appreciate the impact of these actions and our thoughts are with the family and friends at this upsetting time.” They concluded by stating, “We have no plans to install CCTV in these locations and will continue to respect the privacy of people visiting their loved ones graves.” Information regarding BBC Hereford & Worcester is available on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X, and Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites. Details regarding the BBC’s policy on external linking are available.