Kansas City Cemetery Faces Cleanup After Neglect Report
A mother discovered her daughter’s grave overgrown with weeds at a cemetery owing thousands in back taxes.
Updated on Oct. 22, 2026 in Philanthropy
Charity Hooper discovered the grave of her daughter, who passed away 12 years ago, was completely obscured by overgrown vegetation at XII Gates Cemetery. The property owner cited weather-related delays for the lack of maintenance at the 9500 E. Bannister Road site.
Why it matters
Twelve Gates Incorporated has been administratively dissolved by the state of Missouri and faces nearly $36,000 in overdue tax bills. The incident highlights the struggle to maintain private burial grounds when corporate entities face legal and financial instability.
Twelve Gates Incorporated carries nearly $36,000 in overdue tax bills. The entity has been administratively dissolved by the state of Missouri.
The players
Charity Hooper
She is the parent who brought public attention to the maintenance issues at XII Gates Cemetery after finding her daughter's grave site unkempt.
Twelve Gates Incorporated
This is the corporate entity that owns the cemetery and currently owes nearly $36,000 in overdue taxes to the state of Missouri.
Missouri Secretary of State
This government office holds the authority to administratively dissolve corporations that fail to maintain required business filings.
The details
Charity Hooper personally cleared the grass and weeds to uncover the headstone of her daughter, who died at age six. Following public social media posts regarding the condition of the grounds, maintenance crews were observed operating mowers on the property on October 22.
Timeline
Oct. 17, 2026: Charity Hooper found the grave site overgrown.
Oct. 22, 2026: Maintenance mowers were observed working at the cemetery.
Oct. 25, 2026: A community cleanup event is scheduled for 10 a.m.
Market Landscape
The administrative dissolution of Twelve Gates Incorporated follows the state's legal protocols for entities failing to meet tax and filing obligations. This move reflects the broader industry trend where defunct private operators leave public spaces in legal and physical limbo.
Residents with family interred at the site may face uncertainty regarding the future maintenance of plots while the company remains in a dissolved state. The planned community event serves as a temporary measure to address the immediate neglect of the grounds.
The takeaway
The neglect of XII Gates Cemetery illustrates the potential for community members to mobilize when corporate entities fail to maintain public-facing burial grounds. Concerned visitors may consider verifying the status of their loved ones' plots through local property records during transitions in ownership.
What happens next
A community-led cleanup event is scheduled to take place at the cemetery on Sunday, Oct. 25, at 10 a.m.
Further reading
Learn more about local community efforts and Philanthropy in the Kansas City area.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KMBC 9.
