Losing your child is hard enough without thieves ransacking their grave.
Santijs Locmelis was just 11 when he died in February with a rare and untreatable epilepsy called Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.
His mother Sanita Bukovska, 38, commemorated him with fresh flowers and specially ordered butterfly lights on his grave in Earlham Cemetery, Norwich.
Then the lights disappeared.
Sanita said: ‘It was heartbreaking. I stood there and cried my eyes out. He was a bright and shiny boy and was always cheering everyone up.’
It’s left Sanita tossing and turning at night with worry her son’s grave will be disturbed.
But his is not the only one to be tampered with, Sanita heard.
She’s since been told other stories of items missing from graves in the cemetery, which is run by Norwich City Council.
Calling on them to increase security, Sanita said: ‘I still can’t sleep at night because I don’t know if it’s safe for him there or not.
‘In front of the grave, there was even a pillow where someone had been sleeping at night. This place is for the peace, not for drinking or taking things away.
‘We can only hope that one day people will understand that it should be a place we can go with peace in our hearts.”
A council spokesperson said they had contacted Sanita about the items taken from Santijs’ grave.
They said: ‘It is always really distressing for loved ones when personal items placed on graves are stolen or vandalised.
‘We have been speaking directly with the relatives in this particular case and we have been assured that we have provided sensitive advice and support.
‘Thankfully our specialist bereavement officers are always here for anyone with concerns about loved ones buried in Earlham Cemetery.
‘Sadly, on a small number of occasions, items are stolen from graves. We always advise that these are placed there at the owner’s risk.’
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