FALFURRIAS, Texas — Someone vandalized a shrine of famous local healer Don Pedro Jaramillo in Falfurrias, and police are seeking information from the public.
Vandals struck the Don Pedro Jaramillo Shrine, leaving broken statues, glass and scattered flowers in their wake.
The Brooks County Sheriff Department said they were notified about the vandalism to the Don Pedro Jaramillo Shrine after a visitor realized what happened sometime on Friday afternoon.
“They didn’t destroy anything else, just the statues of the saints that were in there which have been donated by the public for decades,“ said property owner Dolores Villarreal.
“Some nut did it. Somebody has to be crazy or something,” said shrine visitor Necomedes Flores.
The century-old shrine that is located just a few blocks away from Texas Highway 281 is a place where people seek spiritual healing from the famous local healer.
“Heartbreaking, I can’t believe somebody would do something like this. People come here for hope, it is a beacon of hope here for the people,“ said shrine visitor Sylvia Navarro.
The residents here say people from across the nation will continue to visit this historical shrine, built in 1971, despite this unfortunate act of vandalism.
“I know a lot of people come here from all over the place, from every state. They come and leave their pictures of their loved ones; they leave their mark here,“ said Navarro.
“My positive thinking is that we are going to be okay; we are going to survive this. We will rebuild it the way it was,“ said Villarreal.
The Brooks County Sheriff Department said at this time the investigation is ongoing. If they do catch the person or people involved, they can face a state jail felony and a fine up to $10,000 since it was a place of worship.
It is particularly galling for local residents because the shrine is a designated historical landmark that attracts visitors from around the world to worship at the facility.
