Gov’t committed to thorough investigation into Adriana Younge’s death; AFC says toxicology test key

Last Updated on Saturday, 3 May 2025, 12:38 by Writer

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo on Wednesday said government was committed to a proper investigation into the circumstances surrounding the drowning of 11-year-old Adriana Younge, but declined to say whether foreign investigators would be called in.

“We need to thoroughly investigate the circumstances under which she drowned, whether there was foul play or not and the President has announced that there shall be a thorough investigation into this matter,” he told a news conference, an hour after the Alliance For Change (AFC) insisted on the need for a probe into how she met her demise.

Mr Jagdeo said the first step was establishing the cause of death, but he said President Irfaan Ali would determine who would be conducting the probe.

“We would have to leave it to the President,” he said.

Mr Jagdeo hoped that those, who claimed they had witnessed something, would come forward.

AFC Leader Nigel Hughes, who is a well-known civil and criminal lawyer, echoed calls by the family for an investigation to be conducted by the United States’ Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United Kingdom’s Scotland Yard, or the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Mr Hughes said a toxicology test should be conducted to confirm whether the water found in the girl’s body was the same as what was in the hotel pool.

“The finding of drowning does not rule out it being a homicide which is an unlawful killing. One of the obvious issues that arises as a result of drowning is cause of action. The first issue is where did the drowning take place? The only way we can begin to narrow the location for drowning would be a result of the toxicology report,” he said.

Mr Hughes said his party, the family, and their lawyer, Darren Wade, do not have confidence in the Guyana Police Force, which bungled the handling of the report that the girl had gone missing.

The AFC Leader demanded that the police force release the autopsy report, rather than rely on President Irfaan Ali’s utterance.

But Mr Jagdeo, who is also General Secretary of the governing People’s Progressive Party (PPP), said his administration was only interested in getting to the truth of what occurred.

“We are not interested in one bit of a cover-up,” he said. 

A postmortem by three foreign forensic pathologists on Monday found that the girl died by drowning.

Her body was found in a pool at Double Day Hotel, Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo last week Thursday, one day after the Guyana Police Force said she was seen leaving in an identifiable car.

The hotel and the hotelier’s house were subsequently burnt.

Looters also carted off a generator, mattresses, beverages, furniture and other items from the hotel.

There were several other instances of looting of businesses and the blocking of streets with burning tyres and other items.

Adriana’s father, Subrian Younge, has appealed for an end to violence because his daughter was a peaceful person.