Attorney confirms Adrianna Younge died by drowning, but key questions remain

The mystery surrounding the death of 11-year-old Adrianna Younge deepened Thursday evening after the family’s attorney revealed that the child died by drowning — but said critical questions, including where she drowned and her exact time of death, remain unanswered.

Today, Adrianna’s body was transported from Ezekiel Funeral Home to Balwant Singh Hospital for a full-body forensic CT scan before the autopsy was conducted at Georgetown Public Hospital.

At a press conference held at around 7 o’clock this evening, days after the death and amid public unease, Attorney Darren Wade, stated that while three foreign pathologists confirmed drowning as the cause of death, they could not definitively say whether the fluids found in Adrianna’s body matched the water in the Double Day Hotel pool where her body was discovered.

Moreover, the time of her death was not determined during the autopsy, and although the pathologists offered an explanation for this, the attorney admitted he could not recall it to share with the media.

Sexual assault was ruled out, and damage observed on the child’s body was attributed to water exposure. No broken bone was observed. Notably, the attorney pointed out that no cotton wool was found in Adrianna’s nostrils during the post-mortem, as was seen on LIVE videos and photos of Adrianna’s lifeless body.

Moreover, the attorney emphasised that it is not the role of the pathologists to determine if the case was murder, stressing that responsibility falls to police investigators. The family, through their lawyer, continues to call for a full, independent investigation.

Adrianna Younge was first reported missing on Wednesday, after she accompanied her grandmother, Carol Xavier, and other family members to the Double Day Hotel in Tuschen.

Around 1:10 p.m., Xavier gave Adrianna money to buy a wristband granting access to the swimming pool. The child entered the pool with her siblings but disappeared a short while later when her grandmother called them out of the water.

A frantic search by family members around the hotel’s pool and premises yielded no results. The matter was reported to the Tuschen Police Station, but officers arrived only hours later and conducted limited searches of the property.

While the hotel had surveillance cameras installed, management informed police that none were functional, and no footage was available.

Initial police reports claimed external CCTV captured Adrianna entering a red and black Toyota Raum, PSS 4684, which was seen leaving the premises. However, that narrative was soon questioned after the car’s owner said the vehicle had been rented to an individual known only as “Orlando,” who could not be found.

Meanwhile, family members maintained Adrianna never left the hotel premises.

Their assertions were later backed by CCTV footage from a neighbouring property, which showed Adrianna arriving but offered no evidence of her leaving.

By Thursday morning, tensions outside the hotel had escalated. Residents burned tyres and demanded answers, accusing the hotel of negligence and the authorities of mishandling the case.

Human Services Minister Dr. Vindhya Persaud, who visited the scene before the child’s body was discovered, described the situation as “disturbing” and called for exhaustive investigations.

At approximately 10:30 a.m., police confirmed Adrianna’s body was found floating vertically in the hotel’s pool. Her devastated mother collapsed upon hearing the news, insisting — along with other family members — that Adrianna’s body had not been there the night before.

The announcement of her discovery ignited mass outrage. Protesters vandalised and set fire to parts of the Double Day Hotel and later torched the hotel owner’s nearby residence. Police officers at the scene clashed with protesters and eventually opened fire to regain control.

Amid growing national anger, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) admitted that its initial public statement on the case contained inaccuracies. In a statement Thursday evening, the GPF said internal communication processes would be reviewed and corrective measures implemented.

Assistant Commissioner Khalid Mandall has since been sent on administrative leave, while three other officers were placed under close arrest pending further investigations.

President Dr. Irfaan Ali had said that no effort would be spared in uncovering the truth.

Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo and opposition leaders have also demanded full transparency and the release of all relevant surveillance footage.