Mourning families push for answers about West Side cemetery conditions

SAN ANTONIO – The push to clean up San Fernando Cemetery II continues, as more families call for accountability.

Many of them say conditions at the cemetery are unacceptable and they want answers.

“It appears that they don’t want to do anything about it,” said Miguel Flores. “It’s obvious, because of how much it’s degraded instead of kept up.”

San Fernando Cemetery II is more than just a burial site for the Flores family; it’s a piece of their history.

“My grandfather was the first superintendent of San Fernando II. He was superintendent here for 20 years, up until he died,” Miguel said about his grandfather Miguel H. Flores.

The late superintendent is honored on a plaque just outside of the cemetery gates. He and other family members are laid to rest just beyond them, but not in the way his grandchildren would hope.

“You see all this dirt that they never clean?,” Miguel pointed out.

We walked the property with sibling Miguel and Dolores. They shared stories about the spot they’ve been coming to since they were kids. Now, headstones are overgrown and trash and dirt surrounds them.

“This has always been a respectful place,” Dolores said. “I’m the eldest of all the cousins…I’ve seen a few of the burials and everything, but it’s never looked this bad. It just seems to be progressively getting worse.”

Miguel H. Flores bought nearly a dozen plots for his family to be laid to rest together when they all pass away. Some of the spots are still empty, but some of the family members said they’re not sure if they even want to be buried on the property at all.

Miguel is retired from The Airforce. He and his wife chose to be buried at the Fort Sam National Cemetery instead of San Fernando II.

“This isn’t management at all,” Miguel said. “It’s really unacceptable… they wouldn’t have the inside of a church, or an altar look like this. If this is what they call hallowing the burial site, I have a very different definition of it.”

We reached out to cemetery staff once again to get to the bottom of this, but were again redirected to call the San Antonio Archdiocese.

We reached out to the Archdiocese last week, and tried again Monday. We still have not heard back.

“You see all this overgrown grass and the dirt and the mud, and you have to dig for your loved one’s monument, you know, it just it hurts to see it,” Dolores said. “I just don’t want to see this anymore.”

We’re not done pressing for answers. We will continue asking questions and seeking accountability for you.