Third time this has been discovered in Hinds county over the past few months
NBC News has previously documented how Dexter Wade, who lived in Jackson, was struck and killed by a police car and buried in a pauper’s grave this year without anyone telling his mother, who had reported him missing. In another case, the family of Marrio Moore, who was beaten to death in Jackson and buried at the same county cemetery, went eight months without knowing what happened.
Jonathan was buried in a nearby plot at the Hinds County penal farm on Sept. 14, 2022.
A “pauper’s field,” also known as a “potter’s field,” is a term used for a burial ground for people who are unknown, unclaimed, or unable to afford the cost of a burial plot. Historically, these fields were often used for the burial of the poor, homeless, or strangers without family or friends to claim their bodies. The term “potter’s field” originates from the Bible, where it refers to a field bought by the priests of Jerusalem with the silver Judas Iscariot returned. This field was used to bury strangers, hence the association with burials for those without means or family. Today, the concept persists in various forms, often managed by local governments or religious organizations to provide a dignified burial for those without the means to pay for it.