DALTON, Ga. — Workers began placing the first markers on unmarked graves of children at West Hill Cemetery on Wednesday.

The cemetery is owned and maintained by the city of Dalton. The children paupers section is for children up to six months old whose parents can’t afford to bury them. There are about 67 unmarked graves in the children paupers section.

In January, Dalton resident Amanda Jones, who had visited the cemetery many times with her grandmother, Judy Alderman, was walking through the cemetery when she noticed that many of the graves in the children paupers section did not have markers.

“It just broke my heart,” she said.

Jones began trying to raise awareness of the situation and asked people to donate money to help place markers on the graves. Stories about her efforts appeared in the Daily Citizen-News on Jan. 27 and Feb. 12.

Dalton Public Works Director Benny Dunn said the efforts raised more than $4,500 to put markers on all the unmarked graves. Some of the graves in the section have homemade markers, and Dunn said the city will also put markers on those graves if the parents request it. He said any money that comes into the city’s Infants Gravestone Fund created as a result of Jones’ efforts will be used to help parents of children buried there in the future have a marker for those graves.

Those who wish to donate can send a check to Infants Gravestone Fund, City of Dalton, 300 W. Waugh St., Dalton, GA 30721. Each gravestone costs $65.