Only in America: The SpongeBob cemetery ban

An Ohio cemetery plans to remove a SpongeBob-shaped monument that a grieving mother erected at the grave of her daughter — and more in our collection of strange revelations about the nation

The SpongeBob cemetery ban
(Image credit: Thinkstock)

An Ohio cemetery plans to remove a monument shaped like SpongeBob SquarePants that a grieving mother erected at the grave of her daughter, an Iraq War veteran. Kimberly Walker, a 28-year-old Army sergeant, loved the cartoon character so much she was buried with a SpongeBob doll. But cemetery officials say a headstone depicting the smiling character is "inappropriate." Walker's mom said the family is "heartbroken."

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Samantha Rollins is TheWeek.com's news editor. She has previously worked for The New York Times and TIME and is a graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.