BREAKING NEWS: Younge’s Family push back against second autopsy
May 03, 2025
By Michael Jordan
The family of 11 year old Adriana Younge on Saturday morning clarified that they are not in favor of a second autopsy being performed on her remains but calls for an international investigation into her death even as they have vowed to take legal actions against the principles of Double Day Hotel and the Guyana Police Force.
“Definitely, people will have to be held accountable. We are going to look down the route of suing persons (such as) police officers, and owners and workers of the Double Day Hotel who were present.”
The relatives had initially indicated that they had postponed Adriana’s funeral while awaiting the arrival of a pathologist for a second autopsy, to have been done by Trinidadian pathologist Dr. Hubert Daisley.
But in an exclusive interview with BIG Smith News Watch Saturday afternoon, an aunt in the presence of the child’s mother, disclosed that Adriana will be laid to rest on Monday, May 5, 2025.
According to the aunt, the family is pushing ahead with the funeral without the second autopsy because of the delay by the Government of Guyana in facilitating the request to have the Dr. Daisley accredited by the Medical Council of Guyana.
“We are not going ahead with the second autopsy; the government has been stalling it, (and) we believe that Adriana has done enough. She has brought to light what is happening at the Double Day Hotel, her death has also brought to light the state of affairs of the Police Force, and why ordinary citizens are unable to trust the police’ the police are not here to serve and protect as they should” the aunt told BIG Smith News Watch.
According to her, there are good men and women within the Guyana Police Force who are keen on doing their jobs in a professional and unbiased manner but there are those who are compromised.
“Sadly, it has also shown that the ordinary policemen who want to do good are caught between a rock and a hard place, because they are given direct orders from their superiors, so many are forced to carry out orders from their superiors.” The aunt of Adriana noted.
In relation to the international investigation and investigators which they family hopes can be cleared to assist with the probe in her Adriana’s death, the family has a preference for this to be spearheaded by either the Federal Bureau of Investigation out of the United States or Scotland Yard out of the United Kingdom.
Adriana Younge’s body was taken from a swimming pool at the Double Day Hotel on Thursday, April 24, a day after she was reported missing. The child and family members were on an outing at the Tuschen, East bank Essequibo premises.
Her death, and preliminary results of drowning from three independent forensic pathologists, triggered violent protests in several parts of the country.
Assistant Police Commissioner Khalid Mandall , who had spearheaded operations at the Double Day Hotel when Adriana was reported missing, was initially transferred to another Division. He has since bene sent on administrative leave.
Three policemen who were under close arrest have now been sent on administrative leave while a number of civilians who were employed by the Guyana Police Force were fired.
