In a deeply unfortunate turn of events, Florida officials have admitted to mislabeling the remains of two Irish nationals who tragically died of drug overdoses. This mix-up led to a heartbreaking chain of events that resulted in the "highly probable" cremation of the wrong body, authorities have disclosed.

The victims, Kane Mitchell, aged 30, and Luke Comiskey, aged 31, lost their lives in April 2022 after consuming drugs laced with fentanyl. It was revealed that one of them had bought the drugs from an individual he had allegedly met just a day earlier. The friends, originally from the Dublin area, were living together in Pinellas Park near St. Petersburg. Their bodies were discovered by their employer in their apartment, who had become concerned when they failed to show up for work, according to the Pinellas Park Police Department.

According to a letter from a Florida medical examiner's office, a funeral home in Florida arranged for the men's remains to be shipped to Ireland. As per the families' wishes, one body was cremated while the other was not. However, in July, three months after their deaths, the families noticed discrepancies in the autopsy reports, which eventually led to the discovery of the labeling error in the remains.

To their shock, the families learned that Mitchell's remains had been buried in Comiskey's family plot in Dublin, and that Comiskey had been mistakenly cremated. This revelation came after authorities in Florida and an Irish consulate general corresponded about the matter.

The identity of the victims was correctly established when they were initially discovered, but the error occurred during subsequent labeling, according to William Pellan, the director of Investigations at the District Six Medical Examiner Office. Pellan acknowledged the mistake in an August 2022 letter to the Irish consulate general in Atlanta, which oversees the southeastern US.

The letter explained that it was highly likely that the remains initially believed to be of Kane Mitchell were, in fact, those of Luke Comiskey. Pellan expressed deep remorse on behalf of the medical examiner's office, recognizing the tragedy of the situation and the immense pain it has caused the families. The office assured the families that they would cover any costs associated with the incident.

CNN recently obtained documents confirming the mix-up and shared letters from the Irish consulate in Atlanta with the medical examiner's office and investigators involved in the case. The District Six Medical Examiner Office initiated an investigation as soon as the families raised their concerns about the discrepancies in the autopsy reports.

Plans were being made to exhume Mitchell's body and confirm his identity through tattoos and DNA analysis, as communicated by Pellan in August 2022. The office was prepared to send forensic pathologists to Dublin on the day of the exhumation to assist in verifying the victims' identities.

At present, it remains unclear whether the body has been exhumed and identified, as further details were not provided. CNN reached out to the families of both victims, while the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs stated that they are aware of the case and are providing consular assistance.

Meanwhile, the man accused of selling the drugs, James Richard Peoples III, aged 35, was arrested last month and charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with Mitchell and Comiskey's deaths. Peoples allegedly exchanged text messages with one of the victims, offering to provide drugs. He admitted to selling narcotics to the victims but denied providing the fentanyl in a statement to Pinellas Park police.

The tragic mislabeling incident further amplifies the devastating consequences of drug overdoses and highlights the importance of accurate and careful handling of remains in such cases. The families of Mitchell and Comiskey continue to grapple with the immense grief caused by their untimely deaths, exacerbated by the mix-up that has now come to light.