SpongeBob Gravestones Spark Feud at Cemetery

On Valentine's Day, a 28-year-old soldier was found dead in a hotel room; her boyfriend has been charged with murder. Now, as Kimberly Walker's family members grieve, they're also facing a headache: After headstones were installed for Walker and her (living) twin sister, a Cincinnati cemetery has now reversed its approval of the memorials. At issue: They're shaped like SpongeBob SquarePants, Walker's favorite character, WLWT reports.

"She loved SpongeBob. He went everywhere ... The curtains, the shower, the bathroom, everything was SpongeBob," her mother tells WLWT. Spring Grove Cemetery initially approved the plan, and the family erected two 6'8", 7,000-lb headstones, which cost $13,000 each. The family also bought six plots in the cemetery. But a day after the installation, Spring Grove said the headstones weren't appropriate for the site. The family and cemetery reps are set to discuss the issue at a meeting this week.

• "Although the family chose a design with the guidance of a Spring Grove employee, unfortunately the monument did not fit within Spring Grove Cemetery guidelines. As an historic cemetery, we must constantly balance the needs of families who have just suffered a loss with the thousands of families who have entrusted us in the past," says Spring Grove's CEO.

(More SpongeBob stories.)