Grieving Parents Hide Camera in Cemetery to Unveil Their Unwelcome Visitor

It’s a universal way of showing respect, flowers and other mementos on the gravesites of loved ones, but at cemeteries around the country, grieving family and friends are discovering memorial flowers they placed are disappearing. Losing a child is something no parent ever wants to face, and Jacob and Tashauna Armstrong know that pain all too well.

As if the loss itself wasn’t already unbearable, someone out there seemed to be messing with them. They didn’t realize it at first, not until they went to visit their baby’s grave at the cemetery. Jacob and Tashauna had always pictured raising their son and watching him grow into the amazing person they knew he’d become.

But that dream never came true. During childbirth, their baby boy, Macaid Armstrong, tragically passed away. And sadly, that was just the beginning of their heartbreak. Life has its beautiful moments, but it can also hit hard when you least expect The Armstrongs learned that on April 14th, 2017, the day their world turned upside down.

Losing their baby was almost too much to bear, but they leaned on each other to get through one of the hardest things any parent could face, laying their child to rest. Birth complications like this are rare, but they do happen, and this time, it happened to them. They knew they’d never fully heal, but they were determined to keep Macaid’s memory alive.

They hoped others would respect that, too. Sadly, not everyone did. Though Macaid’s life was heartbreakingly short, he would always mean the world to the Armstrongs. He was perfect in their eyes, and his spirit stayed close to their hearts. They created a space where they could return to honor him, a place his siblings would grow up visiting, too.

But that peaceful spot was soon disturbed by something that just didn’t feel right. Losing someone you love is never easy. Losing a child is a pain like no other. Jacob and Tashauna had already been blessed with two healthy children and never thought they’d have to face this kind of grief. Still, through the sadness, their bond grew stronger, and so did the support they received from those around them.

Friends and family stepped in to help keep them afloat, even as they missed their baby more than words could say. Visiting Macaid’s grave at Memorial Park Cemetery in Oklahoma became something special for the couple, but one visit in particular made them realize something was off. When Jacob and Tashauna first planned the visit to the cemetery with their other children, they knew it would be an emotional moment.

They talked with the kids to help prepare them for the quiet, heavy feelings that might come up, but nothing could have prepared them for what they were about to find, or how it would change how they felt about the very town they called home. Macaid would never get the chance to play with toys like other kids, but his parents still made sure his resting place felt warm and full of love.

They often visited the cemetery and left little flags, pinwheels, and small toys at his grave. It brought them comfort to think that in some way their son’s spirit might enjoy the thoughtful gifts, but those items never stayed there for long, and it wasn’t just because Macaid wasn’t around to play with them.

Soon, the Armstrongs realized that something or someone was quietly taking those precious things away. At first, Jacob and Tashauna had no idea anything unusual was going on. They simply left letters, toys, and little trinkets each time they visited Macaid’s grave. But every time they came back, those items were gone. It didn’t make sense.

Could there be a simple reason behind it? Eventually, it hit them. These items weren’t just disappearing on their own. Someone was taking them.

“This pinwheel might not mean much to anyone else,” Tashauna shared with Inside Edition, “but it means everything to the person who placed it there.”

At first, they wondered if it could be an animal, but deep down, it felt like something worse.

It was hard to imagine anyone walking through a cemetery and taking toys from a baby’s grave. That kind of cruelty went beyond what they could understand, but still, they needed to be sure. Was this really a person doing this, or just some strange, natural occurrence? Macaid’s dad, Jacob, was furious. The thought of someone stealing from his son’s grave made his blood boil.

These were more than just toys. They were tiny pieces of love left in grief. At first, he didn’t know how to stop it, but then he had an idea. He decided to set up a hidden camera near the grave, hoping it would finally reveal who or what was behind it all. To make it work, Jacob had to find the right kind of camera.

It needed to be small and subtle, so it wouldn’t disturb other grieving families or tip off whoever was taking the items. He didn’t want anyone thinking there was something more valuable nearby or attracting more attention to the spot. Eventually, he found the perfect one, something that could sit quietly among the trees without any lights or sounds.

Now, all he had to do was wait. Jacob Armstrong was ready to do whatever it took to protect his son’s memory and make sure he could finally rest in peace. Once he placed the camera behind the trees near Macaid’s grave, it was almost invisible. Since it could be controlled remotely, Jacob didn’t have to stick around the cemetery to catch whoever was behind the strange thefts.

He could watch from a distance and wait. Luckily, the camera worked just like he hoped. It didn’t take long to prove that this wasn’t the work of a curious animal or the wind. The footage clearly showed a man walking up and taking items from the grave on purpose. But now the question was, would this be enough to actually identify him? As it turned out, the man on camera wasn’t just stealing from Macaid’s grave.

The Armstrongs watched in disbelief as he moved on to other nearby graves, taking toys and keepsakes without a second thought. This wasn’t some personal attack. It was something he’d done to others, too. What shocked them most was how casual he looked, as if he didn’t think twice about it, and unfortunately, he wasn’t done.

Whoever this man was, he clearly didn’t care about the pain he was causing, but what he didn’t expect was that Jacob and Tashauna weren’t going to back down. They were heartbroken, yes, but also determined. One camera clip showed two shady figures hanging around the grave, but the video wasn’t clear enough to ID them. So, Jacob went back, moved the camera to a new angle, and hoped that next time he’d get a clearer shot.

But would it actually work? The stress of losing their son had already taken such a toll on the Armstrongs. Now, on top of that, they had to deal with this? Some days it felt like too much, like nothing was ever going to go right again, but thankfully, they weren’t alone. The cemetery staff stepped in to help.

They gave the Armstrongs access to their security footage and helped them get in touch with other families who had also visited the grounds. Even with that support, though, tracking down the thief still wasn’t easy. After adjusting the camera and placing a few more toys at Macaid’s grave, Jacob and Tashauna went home and waited.

All they could do now was keep watching, hoping the person would return. But they also had to wonder, was that first video just a one-time thing? As it turned out, it wasn’t. The new footage came through, and this time, the image was clear. What they saw surprised them, a much older man slowly walking up to the grave and picking up a pinwheel, then calmly walking away.

Now that they had a better look, they knew it was time to act, but they couldn’t do it on their own. After watching the footage, Jacob and Tashauna knew they couldn’t just let it go. They were determined to find out who the man was that had been taking items from their son’s grave. So, they reached out to a local news station for help.

The news team quickly connected them with the North Enid Police Department in Oklahoma. There, the Armstrongs handed over the video evidence to Deputy Chief James Larson. Now, the big question was, would it be enough to identify the man and hold him accountable, or would he disappear without consequences? Unfortunately, the police and news teams explained that thefts like this aren’t all that rare.

People sometimes take things from graves, even though it’s unthinkable to most. But in this case, the Armstrongs had something many grieving families didn’t, solid video proof of what happened. Deputy Chief Larson felt for the Armstrongs in a deeply personal way. His own sister had passed away at birth and was buried just a few feet from Macaid.

“It would be hard to find a more defenseless victim than someone buried out here, uh,” he said during an interview with Inside Edition.

With that in mind, he got to work trying to figure out who the man in the video was. The news team told the Armstrongs that sadly, this wasn’t the first time something like this had happened, not even in their own town.

There were past cases of people stealing flowers, toys, even balloons. In many of those cases, the offenders were fined or even arrested. As awful as that reality was, it gave the Armstrongs a bit of hope that maybe justice was still possible. Larson shared still images of the suspect with a local newspaper, and it wasn’t long before tips started pouring in.

Soon authorities were able to identify the man as 77-year-old Alfred Boyer. Officers went to his home to confront him and bring him in. A police body cam recorded the moment Boyer was arrested. He was charged with petty larceny, but the emotional impact was far greater. The Armstrongs were shocked that anyone could do something so heartless, especially to a baby’s grave.

“It’s heartbreaking,” McCade’s mother told Inside Edition.

When confronted, Boyer said,

“I’m sorry I did that. I’m not a bad person.”

But the Armstrongs soon learned that he hadn’t acted alone. The second person from the blurry footage, they wouldn’t stay hidden for much longer. A second person had also been caught on camera stealing from McCade’s grave, 58-year-old Jo Faye Witt.

After identifying her from the footage, police went to her workplace to confirm she was the one they were looking for. Strangely, when officers arrived, Witt didn’t seem surprised at all. In town, Jo Faye Witt was mostly known for her run-ins with the law. A few years earlier, she’d been arrested for a prostitution and food stamp fraud. Unfortunately, she’d struggled to turn her life around after that, and police already had a good idea of where to find her.

Deputy Chief Larson headed over to Brown’s Restaurant where Witt worked and spoke with her outside. According to the official affidavit filed with the case, Witt admitted right away that she knew why he was there. She also opened up about what had happened that day. Witt explained that she and Alfred Boyer had been out driving when he decided to stop by the cemetery.

They got out of the car and started walking around. At one point, Boyer pointed out something on a grave and picked it up. Witt claimed she assumed it was no big deal, so she didn’t think twice. But for Jacob and Tashauna Armstrong, it was clear as day. Taking items from a grave wasn’t just wrong. It was stealing.

They couldn’t believe Witt thought it was okay. Then she gave an explanation that left them shaking their heads. Witt said that she and Boyer had read something from Memorial Park Cemetery asking people to remove items from graves to help with lawn care. According to her, they believed it meant anyone could remove anything they saw.

But whether she misunderstood or just used it as an excuse, her actions still had consequences. Not knowing the law didn’t mean she was off the hook. And with her criminal history, including fraud involving food stamps and stolen credit cards, officers knew she had a track record of ignoring the rules.

On top of that, Witt already had outstanding warrants, so when Enid police arrested her at work, the grave theft was just one more charge added to her name. Witt’s past had already landed her in prison for years, and sadly, it seemed like nothing had changed. Now she was facing a misdemeanor count of petty larceny and a charge for knowingly concealing stolen property.

The punishment? A 6-month jail sentence and a steep fine. One more chapter in a pattern of poor choices. Deputy Chief James Larson of the North Enid Police Department was relieved to see the case finally closed. Now the Armstrong family could visit their son’s grave without the added pain of wondering who had been disturbing it.

He made sure to thank everyone who helped track down the people responsible, one of whom still had more to say. When the local news reached out to Alfred Boyer, he claimed he hadn’t realized what he did was wrong. But he later offered an apology to the Armstrongs and told viewers he didn’t believe his actions made him a bad person, just someone who had made a poor and hurtful mistake.

Whether they meant to or not, Boyer and Witt had taken something from a grieving family that could never be replaced. The hidden camera Jacob Armstrong had placed by his son’s grave was the only reason the truth ever came to light. Without his plan, the people behind it might never have been caught.

Jo Faye Witt now faced up to 6 months in jail, along with a possible fine of up to $500. While no punishment could undo what happened, at least the Armstrongs had some peace knowing that justice had been served, and their son’s resting place was safe again. But whether Boyer and Witt truly learned their lesson was still uncertain.

Once both suspects were in custody, the Armstrongs felt a weight lift off their shoulders. They understood that hard times can drive people to make desperate choices, but that didn’t make it right. They were just grateful that the cemetery, at least for now, was free of that kind of disrespect. The way Boyer and Witt acted showed a lack of thought for the pain they caused.

And while Boyer might not see himself as cruel, the damage had already been done. Hopefully, after all this, neither of them would ever set foot near another grave again. In the end, this small victory brought some comfort, not just to the Armstrongs, but to everyone who helped along the way. Still, the joy was mixed with sorrow. They were glad McCade could finally rest peacefully, but more than anything, they wished he was still here with them.