In a chilling case out of West Virginia, a gravedigger has been charged after allegedly desecrating the grave of a baby boy.
The disturbing incident occurred at Baylous Cemetery, where 49-year-old Matthew Fortner, while preparing a burial site, is said to have disturbed the baby’s casket.
Grave Site Discovery Unravels the Disturbing Details
Matthew Fortner, who has a prior conviction for murder, was digging a grave when he allegedly struck the baby’s casket.
Reports from 13 News indicate that Fortner then carelessly discarded the casket over a hillside near the gravesite, leaving the baby’s remains exposed in the cemetery.
It was not until a couple, who were decorating nearby headstones for Easter on March 27, made a horrifying discovery.
They found baby clothes first, followed by the remains of a child, believed to be just five days old at the time of burial, according to WSAZ.
Investigation Unfolds as Authorities Probe Cemetery
Initial investigations into the cemetery found no signs of other disturbed graves.
However, as authorities dug deeper, they learned that Fortner had been digging another grave when he stumbled upon the baby’s casket.
It was then that he allegedly moved it and discarded the remains, which were later found by the couple. “It’s like someone dug a grave up and there’s a baby.
The casket’s thrown over a hill,” one caller said to 911, according to WSAZ.
Fortner Faces Charges After Arrest
Fortner was arrested and charged with the displacement of a dead body and intentionally withholding information about the disturbance of human remains.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges and posted bond the following day.
If convicted, Fortner could face up to five years in prison for his actions.
Cabell County Sheriff Doug Adams expressed his shock, calling the act “sick” and noting the severity of desecrating a grave.
Authorities confirmed the baby boy passed away in 1982, although further details about the child were not released.
Cemetery Board Responds to the Crime
The Baylous Cemetery Board of Directors expressed their sorrow over the incident, acknowledging that an employee of a contractor associated with the cemetery stands accused of this horrific crime.
They have been cooperating fully with the investigation, offering their support to law enforcement as the case unfolds.
“We hope that justice will be served,” the board said in a statement to 13 News.
A Disturbing History: Fortner’s Criminal Background
Fortner’s criminal past adds another layer of complexity to the case.
He had been previously convicted of murder in 1997 and served time before being released on parole in 2007.
His murder conviction was later set aside, and he was re-sentenced to first-degree robbery.
Despite his criminal history, Fortner had been working as a gravedigger when the disturbing events occurred at Baylous Cemetery.
The community, shocked by the crime, continues to await justice in what is a truly unsettling case.
