Autopsy on 11-Year-Old Adrianna Younge’s body today

– 3 int’l pathologists to lead procedure

Three international forensic pathologists have been identified as the team that will be conducting the post-mortem examination (PME) on the body of 11-year-old Adrianna Younge today.

Distinguished forensic pathologist of the Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, Dr Glenn A. Rudner, will join Barbadian pathologist, Dr Shubhakar Karra Paul, who was brought in by the Guyana Government, and Dr Gary L. Collins, the Chief Medical Examiner of the State of Delaware, who was selected by the Younge’s family, for the autopsy.
Both Dr Collins and Dr Rudner arrived in Guyana on Sunday from the United States (US).
Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony told the Guyana Times on Sunday that the two US-based experts have been granted temporary licences by the Guyana Medical Council to practice here. Dr Paul was already certified by the Medical Council to practice in Guyana.
President Dr Irfaan Ali has already assured family members that all their requests will be honoured regarding the young girl’s autopsy.
Adrianna’s body was found under suspicious circumstances, in a pool at the Double Day Hotel at Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo (EBE), on Thursday morning. Her family said there were several marks, including bruises, on her body.
During an engagement with members of the child’s family, including her grieving mother, outside their Hyde Park, Parika, EBE home, on Saturday, the Head of State provided updates on the developments in the ongoing investigation into her death.
President Ali informed the family that the entire PME procedure will be recorded for added transparency. 
“We want full transparency,” the Guyanese leader said shortly after speaking with the girl’s family outside their home.
“I’ve asked the police to make sure everything is videoed – no missteps; everything is videoed, everything is observed [and] as much witnesses the family wants in there [during the autopsy] that is medically permissible – all of that. And all of their requests, in terms of this post-mortem, [are] to be honoured as far as possible,” he committed.
An autopsy on the girl’s body was initially scheduled to be done on Friday by Dr Paul, whom the Guyana Government brought in late Thursday afternoon – hours after she was found. But the procedure was deferred after the family requested their own expert.
The family’s preference, Dr Collins, has worked extensively in the field of forensic science, overseeing many forensic and pathology testing functions. He has performed thousands of autopsies, certifying the manner and cause of death in more than 4,000 cases.
Dr Collins, a graduate of the University of West Indies (UWI), completed his pathology residency at the University of South Florida, and his forensic pathology residency at the Drexel University College of Medicine. He is also board certified in anatomic and clinical pathology and forensic pathology.
Meanwhile, Dr Paul is currently serving as Consultant Forensic Pathologist at the Forensic Sciences Centre under the Office of the Attorney General (AG) in Barbados, a position he has held since 2021. He holds an MBBS, MD, and DNB, and is a Member of the Faculty of Forensic & Legal Medicine (MFFLM) of the Royal College of Physicians, United Kingdom (UK). He is registered with the Barbados Medical Council and has previously been registered with both the UK’s General Medical Council and the Indian Medical Council.
With over 23 years of experience in forensic pathology, Dr Paul brings a wealth of expertise in conducting autopsies, visiting crime scenes, analysing skeletal remains, preparing comprehensive forensic reports, and providing expert testimony in court. He has managed a wide range of complex forensic cases, including homicides, drug-related deaths, and suicides, and has worked collaboratively with legal and medical authorities across jurisdictions.
Dr Paul has a notable academic background, primarily in forensic medicine. In fact, he had previously assisted local forensic experts with the identification of the nearly two dozen persons who died in the May 2023 Mahdia Dormitory fire.
With regard to Dr Rudner, the forensic and anatomic pathologist from Mount Sinai Hospital and the Icahn School of Medicine in New York City, he has over three decades of experience spanning academic medicine, clinical practice, and investigative pathology. Currently serving as a Clinical Professor in the Department of Pathology at Mount Sinai Hospital and School of Medicine in New York City, Dr Rudner has held esteemed faculty and staff appointments across the US, including Tulane University, Oregon Health Sciences University, and the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology.
Board-certified in both Anatomic Pathology and Forensic Pathology, Dr Rudner has held numerous academic positions and served as a consultant for both private and governmental institutions, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the US Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID), and the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA). His academic interests and clinical work have focused on pulmonary and mediastinal pathology, forensic trauma, aviation pathology, and the pathology of substance-related deaths.
The Guyana Police Force (GPF) has already said that it is awaiting the PME, noting that the confirmation of the young girl’s cause of death is a critical aspect of the ongoing investigation.

There has been widespread mistrust in the Force, especially the Region #3 Division, after the police failed to properly investigate the disappearance of the young girl. The discovery of her body sparked outrage with protest actions spreading from Region Three to other parts of the country, calling for justice.
Adrianna’s family has already expressed their distrust of the GPF and called for an independent investigation.
Meanwhile, the Commander of Regional Division #3, Assistant Commissioner Khalid Mandall, has been sent on administrative leave to facilitate ongoing investigations into the young girl’s death, which is being led by the Force’s Major Crimes Unit.
The actions of several members of the regional police team that responded to the report of Adrianna’s disappearance are under question, with both President Ali and Vice President (VP) Dr Bharrat Jagdeo demanding answers.
This was after the police reported initially that there was footage of the hotel, showing that the 11-year-old girl had entered a motorcar and leaving the hotel but her family was adamant that she never left since they reviewed footage from a neighbour’s security camera, which showed no signs of her leaving.
Hours after Adrianna’s body was discovered, the police admitted to releasing “inaccurate” information.
In addition to the Commander being sent on admin leave, three police officers in the division are also currently under close arrest, and a number of other police ranks were also questioned.
The GPF said too that investigators have thus far contacted and questioned the proprietor of the Hotel and all employees, who were present there on the day of the incident. The owner and some staff are said to be in custody.