The Government has reiterated its commitment to full transparency in the investigation into the death of 11-year-old Adrianna Younge, whose body was discovered in the swimming pool of the Double Day Hotel on April 24, 2025.
During a press conference on Thursday, People’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo made it clear that the government has gone to great lengths to support the grieving family throughout the investigation, including accommodating their requests for independent forensic oversight.
“We have gone overboard in meeting the requests of the family, especially at the beginning,” Dr. Jagdeo stated. “We’ve criticised the police for how they acted and for misleading statements that were made. We have publicly been critical of them.”
Adrianna, a Parika Salem Primary School pupil who had recently completed the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA), was found dead just one day after visiting the hotel with relatives. Her untimely death sparked widespread protests across the country, with demonstrators calling for justice and transparency. In the days that followed, the hotel where her body was discovered was torched and looted, and the home of its proprietor was also set on fire.
Dr. Jagdeo emphasised that the investigation is being led by the Guyana Police Force, which remains the appropriate authority to issue official updates.
“It’s best if the update comes from the police,” he said in response to calls for political commentary on the case. “When the politician speaks about this, they say, why aren’t the police giving the update? I think the update should come from the police themselves.”
He noted that the case has seen significant investigative work, including multiple interviews and forensic reviews. However, Dr. Jagdeo expressed concern over what he called “misinformation” being spread by certain individuals, and he questioned the credibility of opposition figures who have publicly commented on the case.
Despite intense public scrutiny and political pressure, the government says it has acted in good faith. In a gesture of transparency, officials allowed the family to bring in their own pathologist. The state also contracted two internationally respected forensic pathologists to participate in the autopsy, alongside the family’s medical experts and legal representatives.
The autopsy, which involved three renowned pathologists, unanimously concluded that Adriana died by drowning. To ensure impartiality, samples from her body were sent to Mount Sinai Hospital in New York and the National Medical Services Laboratory in the United States for additional testing.
However, Adrianna’s family remains unconvinced. While they accept that she drowned, they argue that the manner of death has not been determined—leaving open the possibility that she was murdered by forced drowning. The child has not yet been buried, as the family continues to demand further investigation and clarity.
As the case continues to grip the nation, Dr. Jagdeo urged the public to allow the police to complete their work and to avoid politicising the tragedy.
“The citizens of this country deserve the truth,” he said, “and that truth must be built on facts, not distortion.”
