Police are investigating after remains were removed from a grave at the historic Miami City Cemetery.
Police are investigating after remains were removed from a grave at the historic Miami City Cemetery.
Miami Police officials said officers responded around 2 p.m. Sunday after receiving a report of a possible unauthorized entry at the cemetery on Northeast 2nd Avenue.
A volunteer at the cemetery, Ronnie Hurwitz, said he discovered an open grave when he showed up at the cemetery.
Hurwitz took a photo of officers examining the opened grave.
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“I’ve never had a broken crypt. We get hit with a lot of Santeria, dead chickens, you know, stuff like that," Hurwitz said. “Hope it never happens again. I would like to see the police do some patrolling at nighttime."
Police confirmed Monday that remains had been removed from the site, which is a second-degree felony.
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Officials said they're looking at surveillance footage but said the area where it occurred is secluded. They added that they're looking to increase police presence in the area as a security measure.
Miami Commissioner Sabina Covo said the site was desecrated.
"The oldest cemetery in Miami was vandalized and desecrated yesterday. A historical land that should be more guarded and that must be saved and preserved," covo tweeted Monday. "Thank you to @MiamiDadePD and @miamiparks for the work they’re doing to identify the vandals and bring them to swift justice."
No other information was immediately known.
The cemetery opened in 1897 and is on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. Several notable early Miamians are buried there including "Mother of Miami" Julia Tuttle and 3rd Miami Mayor John Sewell.
