Upper Arlington City Schools is asking a probate judge for permission to cremate and rebury unidentified human remains that archaeologists found beneath the high school parking lot during reconstruction in 2020. The discovery included bones and fragments from multiple individuals, along with what officials believe is the nearly complete skeleton of a 9- to 10-year-old girl. District leaders say DNA testing has not identified any relatives, and they have worked with descendants of Pleasant Litchford to develop a plan they describe as a respectful final disposition.
District Files For Court Approval
The district has filed a petition with Franklin County Probate Court seeking approval for its proposed plan, with a hearing scheduled for March 12, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. Anyone who wants to challenge the plan must file an objection by Feb. 26, 2026, and include proof of a relationship to Pleasant Litchford or to the remains, according to Upper Arlington Schools.
Unearthed History Beneath the Lot
The high school property sits on land that once held the Litchford family cemetery. In the 1950s, many graves were moved to make way for school construction, and local historians say other burials were likely left behind. During work on the new high school in 2020, archaeologists uncovered multiple graves, including one with nearly complete human remains, which renewed scrutiny of how those mid-century removals were handled, as reported by WOSU.
Plan Calls For Cremation And Return
Under the district’s proposal, bone fragments believed to have been moved into unmarked graves in the 1950s would be cremated and reinterred at Union Cemetery. The child’s remains would be cremated and reburied in the Pleasant Litchford Memorial Garden on the south side of the high school. District officials say descendants of Pleasant Litchford worked with them on this plan, and that the garden is slated to receive interpretive signage and an Ohio historical marker, according to the filing described by Upper Arlington Schools.
Probate Process And Public Options
The Franklin County Probate Court has jurisdiction over the petition and will handle the March hearing. The court is located on the 22nd floor at 373 S. High Street in downtown Columbus. Details on filing deadlines, courtroom procedures and contact information are available on the court’s information page at the Franklin County Probate Court.
Why It Matters
Beyond the immediate question of where to lay a child to rest, the case has drawn attention to a wider pattern of forgotten Black burial grounds and to how communities choose to confront that history. Upper Arlington has created the Pleasant Litchford Memorial Garden as one step toward recognition, and historians note that similar stories have surfaced across Ohio. Those parallels are part of why residents and descendants are watching the probate process closely, as covered by the City of Upper Arlington, The Ohio Newsroom and The Columbus Dispatch.
