Schools

Grave Removal from School Construction Site to Be Paid by Prince William Schools

A Prince William County family claims the graves are that of their family members.

Prince William County Public Schools will pay the cost of having any human remains or artifacts found at a school construction site reinterred at a local cemetery, division officials said on Wednesday. 

Several graves were discovered earlier this year in Manassas at the construction site of the school division's 12th high school, said Phil Kavits, director of communications for Prince William County Public Schools. 
Read: Pre-Civil War Graves Discovered at Manassas-Area School Construction site 

" At present, 11 grave sites have been discovered, but very little in the way of human remains ... some highly-deteriorated bones were found in one grave. Some teeth have also reportedly been located," he said. "A skeletal anthropologist will examine these items and determine if any identification (is) possible prior to reinterment."

The Lynn family of Prince William County told WUSA9 the remains discovered are that of their relatives and that they are upset authorities didn't contact them before the graves were excavated. 

The graves are a part of a Lynn family plot dating back to the 1800s and include those of two children and several teenagers, according to the report. 

Kavits said work on the new school will continue with the utmost respect for the people buried there and their living family members. 

School staff met with members of the Lynn family on Tuesday regarding the archeological work being done, according to the school division's website.  

If there's any archeological confirmation that it is, in fact, the Lynn family grave site, the school division will work with them. 

" ... details regarding reinterment may change pending input from the community and a family with possible connections to the graves," he said. 
In October, the school division purchased grave sites at Stonewall Memorial Gardens for any artifacts that are discovered. 

The cost of the grave sites and reinterment isn't available from school officials. 

Updates on the excavation process can be found on the school division website here. 

The school, which is unnamed, will open in 2016 near Hoadly Road and Independence Drive not far from Dale City. 





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