BEXAR COUNTY, Texas – Community members expressed frustration and shock after discovering the complete removal of a memorial dedicated to Mariadelis Labrador Siles.
The 28-year-old woman’s death sparked concern and an urge for unity among neighbors.
“Very, very frustrating, very devastating,” Urbana Rodriguez said.
The memorial, located in northwest Bexar County, had been growing in the area where Siles was found dead on March 12. In early May, investigators ruled her death a suicide.
Rodriguez and other local women established the memorial site to honor her memory.
“We had her arch, we had her pictures here,” Rodriguez said.
The memorial had become a place of remembrance and prayer for community members.
“I drive by it every day, and I don’t have a problem with it,” one neighbor said. “So, I don’t understand why other people would have problems with it.”
The site’s proximity to a “No Dumping” sign and a neighborhood with an active homeowner’s association (HOA) has raised questions about the authorization for the removal. However, memorial organizers noted that local landscaping crews had previously worked around the site, suggesting the removal wasn’t part of routine maintenance.
The group filed a report with the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office about the removal.
“We’re going to rebuild, and we’re going to make it stronger,” Rodriguez said.
“We’re letting our councilmen and all the different people that represent us know what’s going on here in the small community,” Sharon Davis said.
The group plans to meet with both the HOA and county officials to secure proper authorization for the memorial site and prevent future removals. They seek to establish clear guidelines that would protect such memorials while addressing any community concerns.
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