Man devastated after police dump grandmother's ashes on ground during search
A man in the Kansas City area says a police officer dumped his beloved grandmother’s ashes — which he wore in a vial around his neck — onto the ground during a routine search last month.
Now, Deonta Words and his mother, Devona Douglas, say they want answers and an apology for the “disrespectful” way the officer handled their loved one’s remains, according to the Kansas City Star. But the Kansas City Police Department (KCPD) said in a statement on Wednesday that “the incident was an accident.”
According to Words’ account, he was walking to a friend’s house on May 30 when an unmarked car pulled up alongside him. He claims to have started running as soon as he saw a gun flashed.
When officers caught up with Words, they allegedly arrested him and began searching him. In the process, one officer opened a silver bullet attached to a chain Words wearing as a necklace. The bullet, Words said, contained the cremated remains of his grandmother, who passed away in January.
Words claims there was too much going on during the search and he didn’t have a chance to give the officer a heads up before he noticed the officer had poured the ashes on the ground.
“I seen [my] money flying, so I looked to the right to see what he was doing ... and I just so happened to see [the officer] screwing back on the lid to my grandmother’s urn,” he said while pointing to the necklace.
“And [the officer] was like, ‘What you mean, what am I doing?’ and I was like, ‘You just dumped out my grandmother’s ashes.’” He said the police officer never bothered to ask him what was inside the bullet before opening it.
Words said the officer then attempted to scoop up the remains, which got contaminated with the dirt and debris in the process.
Words said the ashes were all he had left of his grandmother, who was like a second mother to him. “Wherever I go, she was with me physically,” he said.
But the Kansas City Police Department offers a different version of events — and on Wednesday, they released a police report describing the incident.
In it, they claim they were investigating a multi-state car-theft ring when they spotted Words — not walking down the street as he claimed, but in a parked pickup truck that had been reported stolen.
They say Words fled the vehicle and started running when he saw them — though a police report obtained by the Kansas City Star made no mention of the vehicle and said instead that Words was “walking on 39th Terrace” when he was spotted.
Officers from the Street Crimes Unit Tactical Team, which specializes in searching for narcotics, were the ones who caught and ultimately arrested Words, who they say was “verbally abusive” and “refused to give his name.”
Police say Words also had marijuana in his possession and more than one outstanding arrest warrant. “I know I got a warrant out for my arrest or whatever, but that’s not important right now,” Words said. “This is important right now. Can’t get that back.”
Sgt. Jake Becchina, a Kansas City Police Department spokesman, released a statement that officially called the arresting officers actions “an accident, and implied that it was Words’ responsibility to give a verbal warning that he was wearing his grandmother’s ashes.
“We recognize that many people carry sentimental ashes with them on their person in various containers,” Sgt. Becchina said. “Therefore, we ask that you inform police of the contents of any container of sentimental value prior to searching if you are under arrest. Unfortunately, this did not happen in this incident.”
Sgt. Becchina added that the officer already apologized for what he did, but Words and Douglas refute that. “We don’t have any ashes anymore. I’m trying to make good in it, but that’s dirt in there,” said Douglas. “Admit you’re wrong. Period.”
Words was not charged with anything following the search and arrest. He stands by his claim that the officer’s actions were completely unjustified. “The officers said they ran across dozens of people with jewelry with drugs in it,” he said. “OK, so if that’s the case, why did you go and open it on the dirt? Why are you getting rid of evidence?”
He told the Kansas City Star that his grandmother’s ashes, which he wore for protection, were intended to be passed down to future generations.
“I miss her. I think about her every day. That’s my heart, that’s my baby. I’m her baby,” he told Fox 4. “I can’t get her back. I can’t get her ashes back. I’m going to forever think about this.”
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