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POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) – At Mountain View Cemetery, where parents come to remember loved ones, every small token of love matters. So when Meri Sistrunk found the hand-painted gnomes on her 14-year-old son’s grave missing, it felt like losing a piece of him all over again.

Jesse Sistrunk passed away in 2014 at 14 years old. He always had wanted to grow a beard, so the gnomes symbolize him.

“I came out to put out his Thanksgiving decorations, and he had two gnomes sitting out here, Beasty and Ninjy. And when I got out here, all the rest of the decorations were here, but they were gone,” Jesse’s mother, Meri Sistrunk, said.

Jesse’s sister, Sheila King, says the stolen gnomes bring her and her mother heartbreak.

“I don’t think that people realize the emotional impact that stealing from a grave in general, let alone a child’s grave has on grieving parents, or grieving families in general. Obviously, they can’t celebrate holidays or anything with their children in the living world. And this is the little that they can deal with,” King said.

King took to Facebook post in hopes to find someone with information. Other grieving parents from the area said they also experienced gravesite robberies at the Mountain View Cemetery.

Unfortunately, there are no leads, but many supportive comments.

While some families have stopped decorating headstones because of the consistent robberies, Sistrunk will never quit.

“I will never stop until I’m dead. Stop decorating or stop celebrating him,” Sistrunk said.

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — The magic of the Christmas Season will come alive once again as the
59th Annual Festival of Trees returns to the Elk’s Lodge, located at 640 E. Elva Street, from Monday, November 17th, through Friday, November 21st. This Year’s Theme, “A Storybook Christmas,” invites families and friends to step into a world of festive wonder and imagination with heartfelt gratitude and giving.

A VIP Chamber of Commerce Ribbon Cutting will open the event at 12:00 Noon on Monday, the 17th, with a special appearance by Santa Claus. All of the donated beautifully decorated Christmas trees, mantelpieces, and door displays will be open for purchase or a silent auction.

Festival guests will also be entertained by a variety of talented local groups and performers, with a new lineup of entertainment posted daily.

Visitors can also visit the Craft Boutique from local artisans, Santa’s Workshop (and Santa), and try the tasty dishes from the famous Festival Café, Fancy Desserts, and Bakery.

This cherished Idaho Falls Tradition welcomes everyone to join in the festivities. There is a nominal entrance fee, and all proceeds will benefit persons with disabilities in the greater Idaho Falls area through the DWI Foundation (Development Workshop Inc.).

DWI is a nonprofit agency with a mission of assisting individuals who have a disability or who are
disadvantaged to recognize and to achieve their chosen level of economic and social independence.

The festival will be open on Monday, the 17th, from noon to 9:00 PM, and from 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM Tuesday through Friday. Volunteers are welcome and appreciated.

For more information on volunteering and attending, click here. You may also visit the official Festival of Trees Facebook Page here.