Woman Visiting Father's Grave In Cemetery Falls Into Sinkhole

An Orange County Woman trying to pay her respects to her father instead ended up falling into a hole that had caved in near the grave. The cemetery has a history of problems and complaints from people who have loved ones buried there.

SLIDESHOW: Images From The Scene

Vonnie Gregory said she was trying to straighten up her father’s grave at Washington Park Cemetery (see map) when she took a step back and fell into a hole.

"I stepped back and I went down, down, down," said Gregory.

She fell into what appeared to be a sink hole that was nearly four feet deep. It was so close to her father’s grave that part of the concrete vault was visible.

"By the time the people got here, I was already down in the hole," she said.

This is not the first time Gregory has had trouble with Washington Park. Four years ago, she told Eyewitness News how the cemetery wouldn't honor her burial contract to be placed beside her deceased husband. Now Gregory wishes her loved ones were resting somewhere else.

The cemetery's owner and caretaker refused to comment.

In the last seven years, several Action Nine reports have led to state investigations into Washington Park cemetery.

The business has also been hit with fines for unethical practices. People complained the cemetery moved grave markers to free space to sell more plots. There were also complaints the business stacked graves on top of each other without the permission of loved ones.