SAN ANTONIO — Historic burial grounds in San Antonio were desecrated by vandals.
In at least one part of San Fernando Cemetery #2, instead of a brass vase adorning each headstone, there's an empty hole.
Families tell us the vases were stolen along with the decorations.
KENS 5 met one family who's facing immeasurable heartbreak for a third time.
For Tiffany and Joel Alvarez, first, their daughter passed away. Not even a year after that, her vase was stolen from her grave.
Earlier this week, the vase was stolen again.
The family was told criminals are after the brass so they can exchange it for cash.
"This was really hurtful more than angry," said Joel. "If you would have known these people, you wouldn't do the things that you're doing."
Joel and Tiffany gave birth to their first child, Absidy Nevaeh Alvarez, January 6, 2005.
"She was born with multiple complications and she overcame a lot of them," said Tiffany.
Absidy, who was six years old when she passed away, was a joyful little girl. Her favorite holidays were Halloween and Christmas.
In fact, for Absidy, it was Christmas every day.
"We listened to Christmas music all year," said Tiffany, smiling. "We'd take her trick-or-treating and instead of saying, 'Trick or Treat!' She'd say, 'Feliz Navidad!'"
The kindergartner had a big love for singing and music.
"She was blind," said Joel.
"She was completely blind," added Tiffany. "So she played piano."
October 1, 2011, Absidy died of cardiac arrest.
"They said that because of her blood clot history, a clot had eventually passed into her heart causing cardiac arrest and there was no way to prevent it," Tiffany explained. "We didn't get to say our goodbyes."
Absidy was laid to rest in San Fernando Cemetery #2 next to her family.
"She's here resting. She's not with us. I can't dress her up. I can't buy her new clothes," said Joel. "So what we do, we get her roses, we get her flowers, we get her stuff that she loved."
"Every fall, Christmas, Easter, every holiday we come out and we decorate for her in her honor," said Tiffany. "We sing songs with her."
Ahead of the anniversary of Absidy's passing Oct. 1, the family laid out toys, flowers and Halloween decorations on her headstone. Absidy's younger siblings, now 13 and 9 years old, help pick them out.
"We wanted to put lights, we wanted to put a pumpkin," said Joel. "We came back and everything was gone."
The decorations disappeared. Absidy's vase was nowhere to be found. As Joel and Tiffany looked around, they discovered the vases of every surrounding family member were ripped out of the headstones.
"What they had to do literally is stand and yank it," Joel explained. "Why would you take from an angel?"
The chains securing each vase snapped from underground.
"To come and see that it was desecrated, it just made my stomach upset," said Tiffany. "I just felt ill because how could somebody be so disrespectful?"
A new brass vase from South Texas Memorial costs around $100, according to the Alvarez Family.
Catholic Cemeteries, who oversees Holy Cross Cemetery and all three San Fernando Cemeteries says they're working with families through these recent reports of thefts.
For now, employees at San Fernando Cemetery #2 are putting out plastic vases as temporary replacements.
"They have noticed piles of vases in certain areas of the cemetery. They know someone is walking around collecting these vases, placing them there to be picked up after hours," said Tiffany, referring to a conversation with a cemetery manager. "My main concern is if I replace it now, what are the chances of someone coming in and stealing it again?"
The Alvarez Family says they are appreciative of the front office trying to help with the missing vases issue. They're hopeful there will be some sort of additional deterrent for criminals, such as increased security or impenetrable gates.
Meanwhile, if you see anything or anyone suspicious in these cemeteries call police.