Body of 11-year-old girl found almost 24 hours after she vanished at Tuschen hotel pool

…hotel, owners’ home torched as angry protesters demand justice, allege cover-up
…cops under fire for “inaccurate” report claiming child left in a car; no CCTV footage to support claim
…“My daughter was there all along… they tried to chase me away” – father
…Pres Ali orders special probe; international pathologist flown in for autopsy today
…“We won’t rest – if there’s a cover-up, people will face consequences” – VP

Nearly 24 hours after 11-year-old Adrianna Younge went missing, her body was found in a pool at the Double Day Hotel located at Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo (EBE) on Thursday morning under questionable circumstances, sparking a fiery protest by angry residents during which the hotel and the owners’ home were destroyed, as calls were made for top Police officials to be removed.
On Wednesday, Adrianna had accompanied her grandmother and other relatives to the poolside at the Double Day Hotel. She was later reported missing between 13:10h and 14:00h.

Her grandmother, Carol Xavier, told investigators that around 13:10h, she gave Adrianna money to purchase a wristband for access to the pool. Shortly after, Adrianna entered the pool with her siblings. However, when her grandmother later called for the children to come out of the water, she realised that Adrianna was missing.
A search was launched by the family in the pool and around the hotel but without success.

No help
According to family members, the hotel’s owners and workers refused to give them access to security footage to locate the girl.
The matter was then reported to the Tuschen Police Station and investigators visited the hotel about 15:30h.
“Upon arrival at the scene, the Police made further search in and around the hotel, including rooms, storeroom, yard, and roof, but they came up empty-handed,” a statement from the Guyana Police Force (GPF) Corporate Communications Unit, which was issued at 23:59h on Wednesday, detailed.
It went on to note that several cameras were seen attached to the building. However, when the ranks asked to view the same, the manager indicated that they were not in working order.
Initially, the GPF had said that the ranks from Regional Division #3 were able to review footage of the hotel, which showed that “…Adrianna entered a Red and Black Raum motorcar, bearing registration number PSS 4684, which drove off in an eastern direction heading towards Vreed-en-Hoop”.
The Police said investigations revealed that the car was rented to someone called “Orlando” and checks made for him were futile. Moreover, the vehicle was traced by the Georgetown Command Centre about 20:58h and it was revealed that it was at Onderneeming, West Bank Demerara (WBD) at “White Shop shortcut”.
However, Adrianna’s family members were adamant that the girl was still at the hotel.
After being unable to check security cameras from the hotel, family members reviewed footage from a neighbour’s security camera which showed no signs that the girl left the establishment. She was only seen entering the premises with her relatives.
With the persistence of the girl’s family, a search was conducted around midnight on Wednesday at the hotel including the pool area, but there were no signs of her. Relatives stayed outside the hotel overnight, adamant that the girl never left the hotel and demanded a proper search of the premises.
On Thursday morning, another search was conducted by the Police and a few family members, but there was still no sign of the young girl, including at the poolside.
Family members and concerned citizens then started to protest outside the hotel, burning tyres and demanding a better investigation.

Calls for justice
Subsequently, sometime after 10:00h on Thursday, Adrianna’s body was found in the pool with visible marks of violence.
Her parents are demanding justice.
“I see a lot of marks of violence – her hands, her knees [bruise]; it very different… I would like to see justice for my daughter. I would like to see justice [brought against] the staff members who were working in there when my daughter was abducted… because when them girls go and ask the staff who working inside there about the lil girl who missing, all of them laugh,” the father told reporters at the scene.
According to the grieving man, even after the Police had searched the building several times, he insisted to them that the girl was still there.
“Since I come here yesterday [Wednesday], my belly tell me my daughter is in there… This morning [Thursday], I tell the media my daughter is in there… Y’all see for y’all self where me daughter went all the time?… And the Police deh coming to chase me away from here last night. You know what the Police them put me through? …And look me daughter body deh lock up inside there,” the man lamented.
The discovery of the girl’s body further intensified public outrage as visibly angry persons started to destroy and vandalise the hotel, setting the building as well as vehicles on fire. They subsequently moved to the home of the hotel owners’ a few villages away at Vergenoegen, EBE, and also set that ablaze.
Persons on the ground said this chilling incident was reminiscent of a 2012 case, whereby the body of a young mechanic, Sideek Juman, was found in the pool at the same hotel. The son of the hotelier, Bhojnarine Bhola, who is now the co-owner and his driver, Leyland Johnson, were charged with Juman’s murder, but both men were freed in 2017 owing to a lack of evidence.
Adrianna’s father is fearful of history repeating itself with his daughter.
“We search the pool after six this [Thursday] morning with Police… and nobody didn’t see a body. And after 10, me daughter body appeared just so – magically appeared, in the pool…”
“My suspicion is what [is] happening in this place for years; the amount of persons who died in this place here and they had no justice… no camera fixture to show nothing, and I know to meself the same thing woulda happened [with us]. They woulda wait till all ah we go away and then say they find the girl’s body, but that is why I stand and I stayed here. I would never move how long I ain’t see that girl’s body… I would stand whole day today (Thursday) and tomorrow (Friday) I woulda do the same thing [and] the next day I woulda do the same thing,” the upset father declared.
Suspicions rose even further after the child’s body appeared in the pool after President Dr Irfaan Ali ordered the Police to send in sniffer dogs into the facility in search of the child.
“How suddenly she in the pool when the Police was ordered to send in sniffer dogs? It mean that they know the dogs would find her,” a relative said.
Guyana Times understands that the hotel’s co-owner and several staff members were taken into Police custody shortly after Adrianna’s body was discovered.
This newspaper understands that among those arrested was a driver, who was attempting to drive a canter out of the compound but he was stopped by protesters. The canter was also set on fire.
A source close to the investigation indicated to this publication that the driver is the same person who was previously implicated in the 2012 murder at the hotel and was later acquitted.

Police’s inaccurate report
Meanwhile, the discovery of the young girl’s body at the hotel has also raised questions about the Police Force’s initial report that Adrianna was taken away in a motor car. This apparent mishandling of the matter further fuelled the situation as outrage grew countrywide.
In fact, hours after Adrianna’s body was found, the GPF admitted to releasing “inaccurate” information, but did not state what it was; though it is widely speculated that it had to be about there being footage of the young girl leaving the hotel.
“Following preliminary investigations, it has been determined that certain details contained in the initial statement circulated were inaccurate. As such, the Force is currently reviewing the internal communication processes that led to the release of that statement,” the GPF said in a statement at 14:00h on Thursday.
It further noted that a comprehensive investigation would be carried out to determine every action taken by the Police in this matter. The circumstances under which the inaccurate information was disseminated, including what led to such information, will also be thoroughly examined, the Police said.
“The Divisional Commander and all ranks involved in the preparation and dissemination of the initial report will be interviewed, and appropriate actions will be taken to prevent future occurrences of this nature,” the Force noted.
This statement was also released several hours after President Ali had ordered the Police to “…explain, in detail, every action taken since the matter was reported.”
Similar calls were later made by Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, who questioned the inconsistencies in the GPF’s statement.
“Now, if [the Police] have that footage…then they should immediately release the footage. I don’t know why there is a delay in releasing this footage, because this is very inconsistent with the entire story. If you saw, you viewed footage which showed the young lady entering into the car…then release the footage that you viewed. We want to see it too as a country and the family…”
“How after this young lady left, her body returned to the pool? Something is wrong and we have to get to the bottom of this, and we’re not gonna rest until that happens. And whoever is culpable and if there is a cover-up, people will face consequences. We’re not gonna tolerate this. This young girl should have never lost her life,” Jagdeo expressed during his weekly press conference on Thursday afternoon.

Special investigation
Meanwhile, President Ali has since instructed Commissioner of Police, Clifton Hicken, to assemble a special team to lead an investigation into all the circumstances surrounding Adrianna’s death.
“We must uncover the full truth of everything that transpired, and no resource or effort will be spared in doing so. Whatever specialised resources are required to determine every aspect of the events and circumstances will be provided… Like the rest of the country, I stand with this family at this time of extreme grief,” the Head of State said in a statement on Thursday morning.
In fact, the Home Affairs Ministry is actively supporting the establishment of this specialised team and is ensuring all necessary operational and technical resources are made available to facilitate “a thorough and impartial investigation”.
Moreover, the Ministry also supports the President’s call for full transparency and accountability, including a comprehensive explanation from the Police of all actions taken from the time the matter was reported.
“We echo [President Ali’s] commitment to clarity, justice, and public trust in the processes of law enforcement. The Ministry of Home Affairs urges the public to remain calm, to cooperate fully with the authorities, and to refrain from any acts that may disrupt the investigative process or disturb public order. The Ministry reiterates its unwavering dedication to national security and assures that every measure will be taken to ensure justice is served,” a missive from the Ministry on Thursday detailed.

International pathologist
In the meantime, the Guyana Government has recruited an international pathologist, Dr Shubhakar Karra Paul, to conduct a post-mortem examination (PME) on Adrianna’s body.
Dr Paul, who was scheduled to arrive in Guyana from Barbados late Thursday afternoon, had previously assisted local forensic experts with the identification of the nearly two dozen persons who died in the May 2023 Mahdia Dormitory fire.
Guyana Times understands that the 11-year-old’s autopsy is scheduled for today.
Meanwhile, President Ali met with the parents of Adrianna and other relatives on Thursday night in what he described as “an emotional encounter”. The Guyanese Leader reassured them of Government’s support and reiterated that every aspect of the case would be “investigated comprehensively”.
Additionally, there have been calls by the People’s National Congress/A Partnership for National Unity (PNC/APNU) and Alliance For Change (AFC) Opposition parties for an independent investigation into the young girl’s death. They are also calling for the Commissioner of Police and the Commander of the Regional Division Three, Senior Superintendent Khalid Mandall, to be removed from their posts.