Even as tensions cool, the Guyana Police Force and government are moving decisively to uncover the truth behind 11-year-old Adrianna Younge’s death. The child’s body was discovered on April 24 in a hotel swimming pool one day after she went missing – a lapse that her family says never should have happened. In response to public outcry, two local police officers – a Corporal and a Constable – have been fired for negligence in handling the initial missing person repor. The officers, based in Regional Division #3, allegedly failed to act urgently when Adrianna was reported missing at the hotel, which may have cost precious time in the search.
Authorities are also holding the hotel’s management to account. The owner of the Double Day Hotel in Tuschen (East Bank Essequibo), where the tragedy occurred, was arrested after the poolside discovery. While he’s now released from custody due to legal time limits, he has been “blacklisted” from leaving Guyana and must report to police daily “He was…prohibited from leaving the jurisdiction,” the police noted, making clear the hotelier remains a person of interest. (Notably, the hotel itself was burned down during the unrest that followed the child’s death, leaving a charred crime scene.)
To dispel suspicions of any cover-up, the government invited an independent, high-caliber team to conduct Adrianna’s autopsy. Earlier this week a marathon, five-hour forensic post-mortem was performed by three international pathologists – including Dr. Gary Collins, Chief Medical Examiner of Delaware (chosen by the Younge family), and experts from Barbados and Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. Their conclusion: Adrianna died by drowning, with no signs of sexual assault or violence on her body. Some bruising noted on the remains was consistent with post-mortem “water damage,” not foul play. However, due to decomposition, the doctors could not determine the exact time or location of drowning, leaving critical questions unanswered.
Investigators aren’t stopping there. The police announced that DNA samples from the girl and the hotel owner have been sent overseas to Mount Sinai in New York for advanced testing.A forensic investigator hand-carried the samples on Thursday, aiming to detect any clues (for instance, if the child’s body might have been moved or if there was contact with the suspect). The case is now being led by the force’s Major Crimes Unit with international support. Diplomats from the US, UK, Canada and others have praised the professional approach and urged calm and respect for rule of law as the probe continues.
Crucially, the PPP/C government’s top brass have given public assurances of transparency. President Irfaan Ali vowed “a thorough investigation” and said no resource will be spared to get to the bottom of what happened to Adrianna Vice President Jagdeo echoed this, stating: “We want to find out the truth… If the police were involved in a cover-up or anything, we want to find the truth too… We are not interested in a cover-up” In line with that, the Region #3 Police Commander was placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the inquiries. These moves have been welcomed by the child’s family, who initially voiced distrust in local police but had called for international help – a call that has effectively been heeded.
With Adrianna’s funeral approaching and her grieving relatives urging no more street protests, the focus has shifted fully to the investigation. The government on Thursday lifted the curfew imposed during the unrest, signaling confidence that due process is on track. A top official involved in the case noted that while the autopsy results suggest there was no murder, unanswered questions linger – chiefly, how an alert, swimming-loving child managed to drown unnoticed in a pool that had reportedly been searched. The coming weeks will see forensic evidence from New York and other findings piece together the puzzle. For now, Guyanese authorities – under intense public scrutiny – are determined to show that justice for Adrianna will be pursued relentlessly and fairly, without fear or favor.
