THETFORD, Vt. -- A Vershire man has been accused of digging up his father's remains and bringing them home with him because he missed his late father.

Vermont Man Charged With Digging Up Dad

Police Say Man Brought Remains Home

POSTED: 9:57 am EDT August 3, 2009
UPDATED: 11:54 am EDT August 3, 2009

WPTZ NEWS

Dominik A. Bailey Jr., 43, has been charged with felony removal of human remains after allegedly digging up the cremated man's remains from a Vershire graveyard.

Thetford police said they received a call from Bailey's mother on Friday telling authorities that she believed her son had gone and dug up her husband's cremated remains, taking the remains and the headstone home with him. The mother said she was going to check the grave site and later told police all she saw at the site was a hole in the ground.  THETFORD, Vt. -- A Vershire man has been accused of digging up his father's remains and bringing them home with him because he missed his late father.

Dominik A. Bailey Jr., 43, has been charged with felony removal of human remains after allegedly digging up the cremated man's remains from a Vershire graveyard.

Thetford police said they received a call from Bailey's mother on Friday telling authorities that she believed her son had gone and dug up her husband's cremated remains, taking the remains and the headstone home with him. The mother said she was going to check the grave site and later told police all she saw at the site was a hole in the ground.

According to court papers, Bailey phoned his aunt in Connecticut admitting he took the remains home. The aunt said Bailey had talked about taking his father's remains home for months, but said she did not believe he would actually do it. The aunt also told police Bailey has made several threats to shoot relatives.

The aunt said Bailey left a message on her answering machine Friday saying that he was "going to get his father" and that the family "didn't need to leave flowers there anymore," according to court papers. The aunt also told police Bailey phoned her again later in the day and spoke with her, saying "he's here with me now" and that his father's remains were in his living room, along with the father's headstone.

On Saturday, a man who lives near the cemetery said a man -- who police suspect was Bailey -- asked him to borrow his wheelbarrow, returning the wheelbarrow after taking it to the cemetery.  According to court papers, Bailey phoned his aunt in Connecticut admitting he took the remains home. The aunt said Bailey had talked about taking his father's remains home for months, but said she did not believe he would actually do it. The aunt also told police Bailey has made several threats to shoot relatives.

The aunt said Bailey left a message on her answering machine Friday saying that he was "going to get his father" and that the family "didn't need to leave flowers there anymore," according to court papers. The aunt also told police Bailey phoned her again later in the day and spoke with her, saying "he's here with me now" and that his father's remains were in his living room, along with the father's headstone.

On Saturday, a man who lives near the cemetery said a man -- who police suspect was Bailey -- asked him to borrow his wheelbarrow, returning the wheelbarrow after taking it to the cemetery.

Police searched Bailey's home and recovered the remains and headstone of his late father. Bailey was not home at the time, but was pulled over by police in Thetford and taken into custody. He is being held at the Orange County Sheriff's Office and is scheduled to appear in court Monday.

The charge of felony removal of human remains carries a sentence of up to 15 years in prison and a fine of not more than $10,000.  Police searched Bailey's home and recovered the remains and headstone of his late father. Bailey was not home at the time, but was pulled over by police in Thetford and taken into custody. He is being held at the Orange County Sheriff's Office and is scheduled to appear in court Monday.

The charge of felony removal of human remains carries a sentence of up to 15 years in prison and a fine of not more than $10,000.