Exclusive: Emmett Till's casket left to waste at Burr Oak

Broken. Rusted. Battered. The image of a glass-covered casket with the body of Emmett Till was shown around the world in the 1950s. But on Thursday, as hundreds of African Americans searched frantically for the graves of love ones, the battered casket of Till was rusting in the back of a shack at Burr Oak Cemetery in Alsip. The casket was surrounded by garbage and discarded headstones strewn about like litter. » Click to enlarge image The original coffin that had contained Emmett Louis Till (inset) was found at Burr Oak Cemetery Thursday in an old work area. The original casket was supposed to be part of a planned memorial for Till at Burr Oak Cemetery. (Scott Stewart/Sun-Times, AP) PHOTO GALLERY Emmett Till's original casket RELATED STORIES Families anguished over dug up graves Video: Sheriff Dart discusses investigation 4 charged with digging up graves Photos: Investigating Burr Oak BURR OAK INFO (708) 865-6070 (800) 942-1950 E-mail: burroakcemeteryinvestigation@gmail.com "When we opened it up trying to find what we have, a family of possums ran out," said Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart.