The City of Hazlehurst is looking into an action from Friday that had family members of loved ones buried in a cemetery in the city searching for answers.

It was reported that personal items were removed from graves and not replaced during the cleanup that may have been initiated by city workers.

City Clerk Vernice Thompson said she was unaware that a cleanup was to be done and therefore was unable to make an announcement prior to the process, and extended apologies to the families that something so disrespectful had happened to the grave sites.

Saturday, the City of Hazlehurst posted on social media that all city elected officials were deeply concerned, sorry, and empathetic about what had happened at the final resting place of loved ones and urge anyone who has family buried at the cemetery to file a report at the Hazlehurst Police Department so that an investigation can take place and a case number assigned. After that process, the city will begin an internal investigation.