Family wants answers after Wissinoming mausoleum was vandalized

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Family members are devastated after a mausoleum in Philadelphia's Wissinoming neighborhood was vandalized.

Mike Lightcap and his mother Jean were both in shock when they learned part of the mausoleum was spray-painted with graffiti in early June.

When Mike returned on Sunday, he discovered more graffiti and damage to the mausoleum, too.

"I was mad, shocked that somebody would graffiti in a mausoleum. It has people's names on it, you know? There are people buried there," said Mike.

"I just couldn't believe it. It was horrible. It was graffiti everywhere," added Jean, who spent most of her life in Mayfair.

Jean's parents, Albert and Laura DeMarco, chose the site which sits close to the Delaware River as their final resting place years ago. Albert was interred there in 1982 and Laura in 1994.

"They were proud. They wanted to be on the river, and my grandma was afraid of being underground. This was the mausoleum they had to choose from close to family," said Mike.

"They wanted to make sure they'd have a safe, nice environment. They never would dream this would happen," said Jean of her parents.

Action News' calls to a company that is attached to the address of the mausoleum went unanswered Thursday night.

A search of city records shows the property failed an inspection in January, only to pass a few weeks later.

But the Lightcaps say they have never been able to get in touch with anyone who maintains the property.

Once they learned a police report was not filed, they are now thinking of filing one themselves.