A family in Anosisoa Ambohimanarina was shocked to discover that a stranger had been buried in their tomb. After posting an appeal on social media, they eventually located the deceased's relatives.

The family, who owns a tomb in Anosisoa Ambohimanarina, was deeply surprised and concerned to learn that an unknown person had recently been buried there. They had no idea who the deceased was or the circumstances of the burial. It was only later that they learned the deceased was a relative of people who had previously used this same tomb.

After posting an appeal on Facebook yesterday to try to identify the deceased, the family came forward. "We will continue to discuss with those who recently financed the tomb's work and with those who performed the last burial to decide what measures to take. The tomb will not be opened until October, as another deceased person is to be transferred there," explained a family representative.

The tomb is one of several burial sites located in Golan, Anosisoa, Ambohimanarina. The family suspected the body had been buried in the wrong tomb, as none of the members of the different families who own the sites were aware of this burial.

"About two weeks ago, we learned that someone had been buried in the tomb. The five families who own it were contacted and questioned, but all claimed they had no recently deceased buried there. We also went around the fokontany to inquire about any possible authorization, without getting a clear answer. Last Sunday, we all met at the tomb to discuss it. We were already considering taking further steps, but we first posted an appeal on social media to find the deceased's family," explained Dimbinirina, a member of the tomb-owning family.

Very Concerned

According to testimonies collected, several clues suggested that a burial had recently taken place. Funeral flowers had been placed on the tomb and it had been sealed, as if the work had just been completed. Neighbors had also seen people performing the burial in the area.

"We were very worried as long as we didn't know the deceased's identity. We feared that a tomb tenant might have introduced a body there. We also wondered if the person had died of a contagious disease or if they had been killed somewhere before their body was hidden in the tomb. We were also concerned that the body might be placed where it could come into contact with other remains. We even considered filing a complaint. If no one comes to retrieve the body by October, we will follow all necessary procedures to remove it from the tomb, either to bury it elsewhere or to transfer it to a common grave," added Dimbinirina.

The appeal concerning this person supposedly buried in the wrong tomb was posted on Facebook yesterday. Just one hour after its publication, the family received a call providing information about the deceased's relatives.