OAKLAND, Fla. – Deborah Fryar has so many loved ones buried at the Tildenville Oakland cemetery in Oakland, including her mother who passed away in 2018.
“I come out here on holidays and Christmas. Sometimes my heart gets heavy, and I miss my mom and I just ride out here to visit her in the cemetery,” said Fryar. “I just wish she was here now with us. I could say ‘Hey, ma how you doing?’”
She told News 6 she’s one of nearly 400 families who are part of a lawsuit, suing the developer of a nearby subdivision for the flooding issues at the cemetery first constructed back in 1947.
The lawsuit alleges the developers approved construction of the culvert to divert runoff water from the new drive into Longleaf at Oakland, and dumped the water instead into the cemetery.
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We interviewed Fryar about the flooding in 2020, when it first became a problem.
“It was heartbreaking for families,” said Fryar. “It’s not just because of the lawsuit. The principle is respect. We felt like because it was the Black people cemetery they didn’t care.”
In a statement, the developer of the nearby subdivision, Pulte Group, sent News 6 this statement:
“We are fully sympathetic to the families of loved ones impacted by the historic rainfall and resulting flooding at the cemetery. We continue to work in good faith with the Town, FDOT and the cemetery’s representatives to implement long-term mitigation actions that address the flood-prone topography of this area. Pulte Homes prides itself on being an integral part of the communities where we build. We remain committed to being a positive presence and good neighbor in the community.”
But that statement is cold comfort for family members like Fryar, who have seen their relatives’ graves come up from the ground because of the flooding.
“You come out here to visit and put flowers and stuff and make sure their graves are fine,” Fryar said. “You don’t want to come out here and see them floating in water.”
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