DPP advises inquest into death of Adriana Younge

Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Shalimar Ali-Hack has advised that an inquest be conducted into the cause of, and the circumstances surrounding, the death of 11-year-old Adriana Younge, which occurred between April 23 and 24, 2025, at Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo (EBE).
The Guyana Police Force has confirmed receipt of the advice and stated that it is taking the necessary steps in keeping with the legal process to facilitate the inquest. The Force also noted its commitment to maintaining public confidence and upholding professionalism, accountability, and integrity in the execution of its duties. Further information is expected as the process advances.
The development comes almost a year after the child’s death sparked widespread national outrage following the discovery of her body in a swimming pool at the Double Day Hotel after a family outing. Adriana had been at the hotel with relatives on April 23, 2025 and was later reported missing, prompting a search of the premises. Her body was subsequently discovered in the hotel pool the following morning.
The case gained further attention after early Police communication suggested that surveillance footage showed the child leaving the hotel in a vehicle. That information was later withdrawn as inaccurate, contributing to public confusion and criticism over the handling of the investigation.
A post-mortem examination conducted on May 3, 2025, by international forensic pathologists Dr Glenn A Rudner and Dr Shubhakar Karra Paul, alongside Chief Medical Examiner of the US State of Delaware, Dr Gary L Collins, who was chosen by the family, initially concluded that Adriana died as a result of drowning. The Guyana Police Force, on May 26, 2025, stated that based on the final autopsy report, there was no evidence of foul play.
According to those findings, there was no evidence of sexual assault, with the external genitalia described as unremarkable and the hymen intact. Investigators also reported no traumatic injuries to the soft tissues or skeletal structure. Additional forensic observations included the presence of foam in the airway, fluid in the lungs and sphenoid sinus, and skin changes consistent with prolonged immersion, all findings typically associated with drowning cases. Toxicology and DNA testing reportedly returned no evidence of external assault, restraint, or struggle.
A second autopsy conducted in the United States on the embalmed body of the child has since reaffirmed the absence of trauma. The examination was carried out by Dr Carol Terry, Chief Medical Examiner of Gwinnett County, Georgia, who described the original post-mortem as “competently and thoroughly” conducted and stated that no trauma had been overlooked.
Dr Terry explained that her assessment functioned largely as a form of quality control, noting that the most accurate opportunity to determine cause of death would have been during the first autopsy before embalming and decomposition. She said embalming and post-examination changes limited the forensic value of her own review.
While Dr Terry agreed that there was no evidence of trauma or signs of struggle, she did not definitively confirm drowning as the cause of death, stating she would be reluctant to do so without full supporting toxicology and complete primary examination data. She further described drowning as a diagnosis of exclusion, requiring the elimination of all other possible causes of death.
Despite this, she acknowledged that the circumstances surrounding the child’s disappearance and death, as relayed to her, appeared suspicious and warranted a thorough investigation. However, she also indicated that the original autopsy had been properly conducted and that no indications of missed trauma were present.
Separately, retired Royal Canadian Mounted Police investigator Leonard McCoshan, who was previously engaged in the matter, reported that there was no evidence of foul play involving any named or unnamed individuals based on the scope of the investigation conducted so far.
Despite multiple forensic examinations pointing to drowning and the absence of trauma, the case continues to generate public debate and calls for transparency.