A Tayside teenager whose baby sister’s grave was trashed just days after her funeral has gained almost a thousand backers for her campaign to step up cemetery security.
Natasha-Lee McGilligan, 15, launched the petition after vandals struck twice at Jeanfield Cemetery in Perth.
Her sister, Roxie, was just two weeks old when she died in March last year.
Roxie suffered from necrotising enterocolitis, a type of bowel condition that affects premature babies.
Her funeral was held in April 25 last year, and her grave was damaged just three weeks later.
It was vandalised again in February this year when tributes and toys left at the grave were damaged and stolen.
Now Natasha is calling on the Scottish Government to require councils to install CCTV in cemeteries across the country. The Perth schoolgirl’s petition has attracted around 1,000 signatures and her campaign has won the backing of local politicians, including SNP MP Pete Wishart, who met her at the end of last week.
Natasha-Lee said: “After Roxie was put in her grave, it was destroyed after three weeks.
“She was only 15 days old.
“We talked about putting up our own cameras but were told we couldn’t do that.”
She added: “It is disgusting that people would do this kind of thing.
“How people can be so cruel, I will never fully understand.
“We are not the only ones it has happened to.”
Natasha-Lee’s mum, Claire, said: “We as parents are so proud of her and I know she has the support and backing from the Perth community, which I am thankful for.
“As I have said to a lot of people, Natasha isn’t just campaigning for her baby sister Roxie, but she’s campaigning for everyone who has been affected.”
Mr Wishart said: “I was truly appalled to hear of the vandalism that took place at Jeanfield Cemetery and I was keen to hear more from Natasha.
“She is extremely determined to ensure that others do not endure what she and her family had to, and I was happy to sign her petition and to give her some advice on taking her campaign forward.
“The petition has garnered attention right across the country,” he added.
“I will continue to support Natasha in any way that I can going forward.”
Natasha’s petition can be found on Change.org.
