Attorneys for the family of 11-year-old Adriana Younge will have to submit their questions in writing to receive updates on the investigation into the girl’s death.
Attorneys Dexter Todd and Eusi Anderson met today with Police Commissioner Clifton Hicken and two of his deputies following a request for an urgent meeting. Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum, who also received the urgent missive, was absent.
Todd informed the media that the Police Commissioner was unable to answer several questions posed about the investigation.
“A Commissioner, being the head of the Force, was not at this stage briefed enough to be able to engage and answer some questions that we and the families would have had. So the way of answering those questions is that we have been advised to put them in writing, and at some stage, when the answers are available, the answers will be given.”
The attorney explained that the Police Chief was asked about the identity of the lead investigator and others involved in the matter, the scope of the investigation, whether homicide has been ruled out or addressed, what tests were sent overseas for analysis, when the results would be expected, and whether water samples were taken from the pool to compare with the liquid found in the child’s lungs.
According to Todd, these questions were met with the Commissioner being “unable to say at this time.”
Additionally, questions were asked about the preliminary autopsy report of Adriana Younge and whether the Force would oppose a second autopsy examination. Regarding the first question, the lawyer said he was informed that the police had not yet received the preliminary autopsy report, and “no answer” was provided for the latter.
Todd questioned the rationale for early pronouncements of drowning when the preliminary report is still unavailable.
“If the preliminary report is not available, why was there a public pronouncement on a prospective cause of death… without having the preliminary report available at least… Would it not have been better to say that the entire autopsy process is incomplete, and therefore it would be premature at this stage to pronounce on a possible cause of death?” he reasoned.
