Families demand answers over deteriorating conditions at San Fernando Cemetery II

SAN ANTONIO – Families with loved ones buried at San Fernando Cemetery II are pressing for answers about the property’s conditions.

Many say their holiday visits aren’t worth the disappointment. We’ve spent months asking about conditions at the cemetery.

We’ve told you several times about the sunken graves, misplaced headstones and conditions families say make the cemetery unacceptable. We reached out to city officials to figure out how to fix it.

Families are still hoping to see a difference.

“It’s just it’s shameful,” Alexandra Zepeda said; sharing some of the same concerns we’ve told you about before.

“I feel like we’re taught as Catholics to know that you’re when you move on, you’re moving on to a beautiful place,” Zepeda said. “But then your body is left here, trashed with weathered headstones. It’s very confusing.”

The cemetery is run by the San Antonio Archdiocese. We’ve spent weeks reaching out to them for answers, but haven’t heard back.

The cemetery falls in District 5, run by Councilwoman Teri Castillo who shared she also has family buried there. We turned to her office next.

“I think it’s important that folks do reach out to the Archdiocese to express their concerns,” Castillo said. “To have those elevated and to ensure that they’re addressed.”

We also reached out to the Texas Funeral Service Commission. They told us there’s not much they can do, because the cemetery is owned and operated by the catholic church.

“If someone were to bring a concern to you, what would happen? Would you point them to the Archdiocese?,” Our Destany Fuller asked.

“We would point to the Archdiocese, similar to any private property or private business,” Castillo said. “We would connect them to the business owner.”

We spoke to the Zepeda family who says they’ve been passed back and forth for years, and they just want solutions.

“This is an ongoing fight against the city, against the archdiocese,” said Richard Zepeda, Alexandra’s father. “[The] City councilman, person needs to come out here and take a good look if they haven’t been — if her loved one isn’t here, she needs to come out here.”

We reached out to the Archdiocese again Wednesday — letting them know we were running this story. Once again, we have yet to hear back.