Heartbroken mum’s pain as baby’s grave is targeted twice by vandals
Tina Hall outside St Faiths Crematorium where her daughters gravestone had an obscene remark written on it and flowers damaged around it. Photo : Steve Adams - Credit: Steve Adams
Tina Hall endured the nightmare of losing her precious baby Ella when the infant was just two-hours-old.
Ella Waton’s vandalised grave. Picture: Supplied - Credit: Supplied
But the pain has been deepened two-and-a-half years on – by callous vandals who have twice desecrated her daughter's grave.
In the most recent attack, they scribbled over Ella's photograph in marker pen, wrote 'die' across the headstone, threw flower heads across the ground and damaged ornaments left to mark the life of the tiny girl.
Miss Hall, 29, from Taverham, has been devoted to tending Ella's grave at St Faith's Crematorium – placing flowers and gifts to keep her memory alive.
And she said the most recent attack had been 'soul destroying' – causing her to 'fall apart' when she first saw the damage.
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Miss Hall added: 'Just seeing the graffiti all over her face, it breaks my heart. It's disgusting – I can't understand why anyone would do that.'
Every week she takes her 18-month-old daughter Mia Watson up to St Faith's to lay flowers and be with their precious girl.
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'It is my pride and joy,' she said. 'St Faith's is so peaceful. I can gather my thoughts and feel close to Ella.'
But all that meant nothing to the vandals who targeted Ella's final resting place.
The first attack came in April. But the attackers returned last month to do a more comprehensive and heartbreaking job.
Grieving Miss Hall said she had wanted a family for so long and was overjoyed when she discovered Ella was on the way. But she was born at 22-weeks-old and died prematurely.
Now Miss Hall is pleading for anyone with information about the crime to contact police.
'To take it out on a little girl who has lived for just two hours, it's evil,' she added.
The crematorium restored the memorial and surrounding garden.
Anyone with any information about the incident, which happened at 9am on Saturday, October 25, and 3.15pm on Tuesday, October 28, should call Norfolk police on 101, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
Do you have a crime story? Email peter.walsh@archant.co.uk
