by Michaela Meade
When Marie Browitt went to visit her husband and daughter’s memorials at the weekend, she was not able to have a peaceful moment of mourning.
Instead, Marie said she and her daughter, Stephanie, found a “horrific, disgraceful act of vandalism”.
Marie’s husband, Paul, and daughter, Krystal, were victims of the New Zealand White Island Volcano eruption in December, 2019.
Krystal sadly died on the island, while Paul later died in hospital.
Stephanie was also on the island, but escaped with her life.
Marie said it was the first time she and Stephanie had visited Paul and Krystal’s monuments at Northern Memorial Park following their completion last week.
“We went to visit their resting place and finally feel like we honoured them,” she said.
“Instead we found the crucifix had been smashed off and into three pieces on the ground.
“Having looked around there were vandalised monuments with crucifixes in pieces everywhere in the Snow Gum area [of the cemetery].
“I could do nothing but fall to my knees, crying in torment.
“Our family died tragically and even in death, they cannot rest. Evil still finds us.”
Marie said the “evil and heartless acts” affected grieving families deeply.
“This appears to be a regular issue with this cemetery and yet cameras and security to protect our families’ monuments and safety are not in place,” she said.
“Our property and family’s resting place needs protecting.
“Some things are just not repairable or replaceable by insurance.
“It really isn’t good enough. It’s unacceptable. Enough already.”
In a statement posted to its website, the Greater Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust (GMCT) said 80 graves were damaged in vandalism overnight on Friday, November 5.
GMCT chief executive Deb Ganderton said the organisation would be contacting families “to let them know and to help them understand how to arrange for the damage to be repaired”.
GMCT said the cost to repair the damage to the vandalised gravesites would be covered by a Victorian cemetery insurance scheme.
Current security provisions at the memorial park, including CCTV, will be “immediately” extended, GMCT said.
