A grieving Ayr mum claims she was told by a heartless council worker that it was ‘her choice’ to bury her stillborn baby in a ‘neglected’ part of a cemetery.
Stefany Lawrie, 35, was left “shaking with anger” as an ongoing row between bosses at Ayr cemetery and her family continued over the upkeep of the Butterfly Garden.
We first told how doting grandad dad Scott Lawrie, 63, was left reeling at the "depressing" state of the plots where tots are laid to rest, saying it had been "neglected".
Now his daughter has been left fuming with the response she received as her family were stopped from planting flowers where dull, lifeless plants sit.
But when the mum-of-five tried to reason with an unnamed council worker based at the office of Kenny Dalyrmple, South Ayrshire Council's neighbourhood services manager, she claims she was instead given a shock response.
Stefany told Ayrshire Live that groundsmen on site at the grave openly admitted they were understaffed to deal with the Butterfly Garden.
She said: “That is my son’s final resting place. That is not where I want to go to remember my son at all.
“I have been fighting to get this sorted, it's not right.
“After my dad spoke to the Ayrshire Post we went back down to plant some extra flowers to brighten up the place.
“The staff there told us we couldn’t do it.
“I phoned someone at Mr Dalrymple’s office at the council. They told me, ‘don’t take this the wrong way but that was your choice to put your baby there.
“I couldn’t believe those words came out of their mouths. I was absolutely disgusted to hear that.”
Ayrshire Live can reveal following that conversation on Wednesday, May 19, council bosses made a U-turn and are planning to add that splash of colour the Lawrie family are desperate to see.
A council spokesperson said: “It’s important that people can remember their loved ones in quiet contemplation and the butterfly garden allows families to do just that.
“However, we also recognise that colourful surroundings can help with the grieving process, so we’re already planning to replace many of the shrub beds and introduce more colourful plants.”
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