LANCASTER, Pa., Aug. 16 (UPI) -- The Lancaster, Pa., grave of a 9-year-old girl buried in 1962 was dug up, and the casket and remains stolen, authorities say.
Family members say they are stunned and shaken by the unexplained robbing of the grave of Paula Ream, who had cerebral palsy and was buried in the "Babyland" section of the city's Riverview Cemetery, The Lancaster Intelligencer Journal reported Sunday.
The grave was dug up sometime between 4 p.m. Thursday and 1 p.m. Friday, authorities said.
Her sisters say they cannot understand the horrific act.
"Us girls are all wondering, was it a random thing?" Fay Hamm, 71, of East Petersburg said. "The only thing we can think of is, was it because it was Friday the 13th? Or some cult? Or somebody being initiated into something?"
"It's just something you see on TV, on one of those unsolved mystery shows," another sister, Cass O'Dell, 66, of Lancaster said. "It's just like it's unreal, like you're going to wake up and it's not true."
Family members had just visited the grave site about a week and a half ago while at the cemetery for the funeral of a family friend, Hamm said.
At that time nothing was amiss at the graves of Paula or her parents, Mary, who died in 1982, and Paul, who died in 2004, she said.
Lancaster city police are investigating the incident, the Intelligencer Journal said.
