Family shocked and distressed by cemetery discovery

Nelson Bays woman Ange Millson says she was shocked and distressed to learn her nephew’s ashes had been added without her family’s knowledge to a cemetery plot containing the remains of her two brothers.

‘‘Often, when I start to talk about it or think about it, I come really close to tears because it’s deeply upsetting,’’ she said.

Her brothers, Stephen and Christopher Duncan, both had Huntington’s disease and died in 2004 and 2012 respectively. Their ashes were interred in the same plot at Tasman District Councilmanaged Richmond Cemetery.

‘‘I supported both brothers through a long and protracted illness,’’ Millson said, adding that she was the executor of Stephen Duncan’s will, in whose name the cemetery plot was booked.

In January, the ashes of Adam Duncan, Stephen Duncan’s son, were added to the plot without the knowledge of Millson or her family. Adam Duncan, who also had Huntington’s disease, died aged 29 in January 2017.

The addition of Adam Duncan’s ashes was brought to Millson’s attention after a family member saw his name had been added to the plot plaque.

‘‘They were deeply shocked so they immediately went and told my mother, who’s in her 80s, and even now, she’s still struggling to cope with the shock,’’ Millson said.

‘‘No-one has an issue with Adam being in there but we weren’t told or asked. Honestly, it was just so shocking to discover and it just leaves you griefstricken.’’

Millson said she believed she had the exclusive right of burial for that plot as executor of Stephen Duncan’s will and, as per the council’s standard operating procedures, was required to give permission for the interment.

However, the council says it acted in good faith on the instructions of Adam’s mother – Stephen Duncan’s former wife, who has been estranged from Millson and her family for many years.

‘‘This is a complex situation and we ... do not want to risk further distress by publicly discussing what we did and why,’’ the council says in a statement. ‘‘Suffice to say, the information we had, albeit relatively historic, satisfied us that the wishes of the family at the time were respected. We have every sympathy for the family and are sorry for any distress this situation has caused them.’’

Millson said she wanted to know who had the exclusive right of burial – her, as the executor of Stephen Duncan’s will, or the other side of the family via nextof-kin rights.

‘‘What it comes down to is that