Crypt confusion at a council‑owned cemetery has caused fresh grief for two families, after a man was mistakenly laid to rest in the wrong place in South Australia.

The owners of the crypt said they’ve been left angry and distressed over a stranger being laid to rest in a site meant for their family members.

Anna Traino says her family “deserves better”.

“There’s no words to describe the horror and the disappointment,” she told 7NEWS.

Her sister and brother‑in‑law had pre‑purchased crypts near where her husband has been laid to rest at Salisbury Memorial Park — only to learn another man, unrelated to them, had been placed inside one of those crypts just weeks ago.

“My sister’s very sick,” Traino said.

“Her days are numbered. And she doesn’t know when it’ll be her time to know that someone’s already been in there.”

The cemetery is owned by Salisbury Council but managed by Adelaide Cemeteries, which has confirmed the mistake.

“An interment took place at the Salisbury Mausoleum in a crypt that had been pre‑purchased by another family for future use,” management said, adding it had expressed its “sincere and deepest apologies” to those affected.

Adelaide Cemeteries says it has strict processes in place but has launched a review to ensure the error is never repeated.

“They’re both very, very distressed,” Traino said.

“You’ve already sealed it and you think that this is over, we’ve done our last thing.”

Management says it is confident a solution can be reached that won’t require the removal of the body already laid to rest — but the bungle has caused fresh pain for two families already dealing with heartbreak.