Justice Delayed, Truth Denied: The Adrianna Younge Case and the Imperative for Accountability
As we lay Adrianna Younge to rest today, we must not allow the burial of this child to also bury the questions that her death has raised about institutional failure, investigative competence, and the protection of our most vulnerable citizens.
By The Editorial Board, Guyana Business Journal
June 22, 2025
Today, as we lay eleven-year-old Adrianna Younge to rest after months of delayed justice, Guyana confronts a moment of profound reckoning. The burial of this child should mark not an end, but a beginning—the beginning of an unrelenting pursuit of truth that has thus far been denied to her family, her community, and the nation that failed to protect her.
Nearly two months have passed since Adrianna disappeared during what should have been a joyful family outing to the Double Day Hotel in Tuschen on April 23, 2025. Nearly two months since her body was discovered floating in the same hotel swimming pool where she was last seen alive, approximately twenty hours after multiple searches had reportedly failed to locate her. Nearly two months since a cascade of institutional failures, investigative missteps, and contradictory explanations began to erode public confidence in the very systems meant to protect our children and deliver justice when that protection fails.
Two separate international autopsies have concluded that Adrianna died by drowning, with no evidence of sexual assault or physical trauma. Yet for her grieving family, for the traumatized community of Tuschen, and for countless Guyanese who have watched this tragedy unfold, these conclusions feel insufficient—not because they challenge the science, but because they fail to address the circumstances that led to her death and the systemic failures that followed. The search for answers, for truth, and for justice extends beyond forensic findings to encompass the institutional accountability that this case demands.
As we have documented in our previous coverage, this case has exposed critical vulnerabilities in our institutions and raised fundamental questions about how we protect our children, investigate their deaths, and maintain public trust when both protection and investigation appear to fail. Today, as we honor Adrianna’s memory, we must also confront the uncomfortable truth that her death has revealed about the state of justice in Guyana.
The facts of Adrianna Younge’s case paint a disturbing picture of institutional failures and investigative missteps that demand accountability at every level. On April 23, 2025, Adrianna Younge visited the Double Day Hotel in Tuschen with her grandmother Carol Xavier and other relatives for what should have been an ordinary family outing. The timeline that follows reveals a series of events that strain credibility and demand explanation.
According to family accounts and photographic evidence, Adrianna was last confirmed alive in the early afternoon, visible in the hotel’s swimming pool area around 1:02 PM. Within a short timeframe thereafter, she was no longer visible at the scene. This represents the last confirmed sighting of Adrianna alive, yet it would be nearly twenty hours before her body was discovered floating in the same pool where she had last been seen.
The immediate response to Adrianna’s disappearance reveals troubling aspects of this case. Despite immediate family searches and police notification at approximately 3:30 PM, multiple search efforts conducted by relatives and hotel staff throughout the afternoon and into the following morning reportedly failed to locate her body. These searches, performed in a confined pool area by multiple individuals over an extended period, were somehow unable to detect the presence of a child’s body in the very location where she was last seen alive.
The discovery of Adrianna’s body on the morning of April 24, floating in the same pool that had allegedly been repeatedly searched, raises fundamental questions about the competence and thoroughness of these search efforts. How does an eleven-year-old child’s body remain undetected for nearly a full day in a confined space that was the focus of intensive search activity? This question strikes at the heart of either gross negligence in the search efforts or circumstances that somehow concealed her body from view during the critical hours when she might have been saved.
The medical examination of Adrianna’s body has undergone extensive international scrutiny. Initial police forensic examination conducted on April 28, 2025, by three international pathologists—Dr. Glenn A. Rudner of Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, Dr. Shubhakar Karra Paul of Barbados, and Dr. Gary L. Collins, Chief Medical Examiner of Delaware, determined that Adrianna died by drowning, with the skin found to be “intact and free from antemortem injuries.” A second independent autopsy was later conducted on May 29 at the Gwinnett County Medical Examiner’s Office in Georgia, USA, at the family’s request, which corroborated the drowning conclusion while noting that some questions remained unanswered.
The family’s response to these conclusions has been unequivocal. Adrianna’s father, Subrian Younge, speaking moments after the initial autopsy results were announced, declared: “This is no result to me.” The family’s pain appears compounded by a crucial reality that forensic science alone cannot address: while the mechanism of death may be established, the circumstances that led to Adrianna’s drowning remain shrouded in questions that demand answers from institutions, not laboratories.
Perhaps most damaging to public confidence has been the Guyana Police Force’s handling of the case. Initially, authorities released information claiming that CCTV footage showed Adrianna entering a vehicle and leaving the premises—information that was later retracted as false. This was not a minor error; it was a fundamental misrepresentation that sent a family and community searching for a kidnapper while a child’s body lay undiscovered in a hotel pool. The psychological trauma inflicted on the family by this false information, and the resources wasted pursuing a non-existent abduction, represent failures of competence and communication that demand accountability.
In response to the handling of the case, significant personnel changes have occurred. Region Three Police Commander Khalid Mandall was officially reassigned on April 25, 2025, with Assistant Commissioner Mahindra Siewnarine appointed as the new Commander. Additionally, two police officers—a corporal and a constable—were reportedly fired for neglect in handling Adrianna’s disappearance.
The Adrianna Younge case cannot be understood in isolation. It must be viewed within the context of institutional patterns that suggest systemic problems rather than isolated failures. The hotel’s history adds a deeply troubling layer to this tragedy. In 2012, a young mechanic was found dead in this same pool under suspicious circumstances. The hotel owner’s son and a staff member were initially charged in connection with that death, but the charges were later dropped when the case was reportedly abandoned. That this current tragedy has struck the same location, in the same pool, more than a decade later, has intensified public suspicions and demands for accountability.
The pattern that emerges suggests unresolved deaths at a location that appears to have escaped meaningful scrutiny or reform following the previous incident. What safety improvements, if any, were implemented after the 2012 death? What enhanced oversight was put in place? What accountability measures were established to prevent future tragedies? The apparent absence of meaningful reform following the earlier death suggests a system that fails to learn from tragedy and implement necessary safeguards.
The investigative failures in Adrianna’s case follow concerning patterns that warrant examination. Questions have been raised about crime scene management, the timing and methodology of searches, and the adequacy of initial investigative protocols. The absence of immediate environmental testing of the pool water and comprehensive assessment of pool safety systems represents missed opportunities for crucial evidence gathering.
The police force’s dissemination of false information about CCTV footage represents perhaps the most egregious failure in this case. This misinformation was not corrected quickly—it circulated for an extended period, causing immeasurable additional trauma to the family and misdirecting community search efforts. The fact that consequences appear limited to personnel reassignments raises questions about whether institutional accountability mechanisms are adequate.
The community’s unprecedented response to this case reflects a recognition that something fundamental appears to have broken down in the relationship between citizens and the institutions meant to serve them. The mass demonstrations that led to the burning of the Double Day Hotel and the hotel owner’s residence, while regrettable, represent more than grief and anger—they represent a community’s assessment that the institutions responsible for protecting their children and investigating their deaths have lost their trust.
The official conclusion that Adrianna died by drowning, while scientifically defensible based on two independent international autopsies, fails to address the fundamental questions that this case has raised about institutional competence, investigative thoroughness, and systemic accountability. These questions cannot be dismissed or ignored—they demand answers that only a comprehensive, transparent investigation can provide.
How do multiple searches of a confined pool area fail to locate an eleven-year-old child’s body for nearly twenty hours? Were these searches conducted by trained professionals using appropriate methods and equipment? What specific search protocols were followed? Could the design, depth, or mechanical features of the pool have concealed her body from view? Were there underwater structures, filtration systems, or circulation mechanisms that could have affected body positioning or visibility?
What specific methods were used in the multiple searches of the pool area? Were these searches conducted systematically or haphazardly? What equipment was used? Were underwater searches conducted, and if so, by whom and using what methods? The competence of the search efforts is central to understanding how Adrianna’s body remained undetected for so long.
Who within the police force authorized the false claim about CCTV footage showing Adrianna leaving in a vehicle? What was the source of this misinformation? How long did this false narrative circulate before being retracted? What consequences have been imposed beyond the personnel changes already announced? The credibility of law enforcement depends on comprehensive accountability for such failures.
What safety protocols were in place at the Double Day Hotel on April 23, 2025? Were lifeguards on duty, and if so, what are their accounts of the events? What cooperation has the hotel provided to investigators? What specific measures has the hotel taken to address the safety concerns raised by this tragedy and the previous death in 2012?
What regulatory oversight exists for hotel pool safety in Guyana? What inspection records exist for the Double Day Hotel? Who is responsible for ensuring compliance with safety standards? What enforcement mechanisms exist when safety violations are discovered?
What protocols exist for missing child cases in Guyana? How quickly were appropriate authorities notified? What resources were deployed in the search effort? What coordination existed between different agencies and departments?
These questions are not merely academic exercises—they are essential to understanding what happened to Adrianna Younge and ensuring that similar tragedies do not occur in the future. The failure to address these questions comprehensively and transparently perpetuates the institutional failures that may have contributed to this tragedy. It undermines public confidence in the systems meant to protect our children.
The current state of the Adrianna Younge case represents what appears to be a failure of institutional accountability that demands immediate and comprehensive remedy. While the autopsy findings provide important medical conclusions, they cannot substitute for the thorough investigation that this case requires and that the public deserves.
A credible, transparent investigation into Adrianna’s death requires formal interviews with a comprehensive range of individuals whose testimony is essential to establishing the truth. The family members present at the scene, hotel personnel on duty that day, guests who were present during the critical hours, all responding police officers, and local medical personnel who first examined Adrianna’s body must all be formally questioned to construct a reliable timeline and evaluate the adequacy of the response.
Beyond these interviews, a comprehensive technical investigation is required to address the fundamental questions about how this tragedy occurred. This investigation must include a detailed engineering assessment of the pool’s design features, a comprehensive review of all security systems and surveillance footage, and a thorough audit of the hotel’s safety protocols and compliance with established standards.
The investigation must also examine the communication failures that led to the dissemination of false information about CCTV footage and implement reforms to prevent similar failures in the future.
The Adrianna Younge case represents more than a tragic death—it means a fundamental test of Guyana’s institutional credibility and its commitment to protecting its most vulnerable citizens. The handling of this case will set precedents for how similar cases are investigated, how public trust is maintained or restored, and whether adequate safeguards exist to prevent similar tragedies.
The community’s unprecedented response to this case—mass demonstrations, explicit rejection of initial explanations, and collective demands for accountability—reflects more than grief and anger. It represents a community’s assessment that the institutions responsible for protecting their children and investigating their deaths require significant reform to regain public trust.
President Ali’s commitment to transparency has been demonstrated through the facilitation of international autopsies and videotaping of procedures. However, transparency must extend beyond medical examinations to encompass the entire investigative process. True transparency requires acknowledging institutional failures, implementing meaningful reforms, and ensuring that those responsible for negligence or misconduct are held accountable.
The international attention that this case has attracted reflects not only sympathy for Adrianna’s family but also concern about the state of justice and child protection in Guyana. The outcome will have implications that extend beyond Guyana’s borders, affecting international confidence in the nation’s institutions and commitment to the rule of law.
As Adrianna Younge has been laid to rest today, we must commit ourselves to ensuring that her death leads to meaningful change rather than becoming another tragedy that is mourned but forgotten. This commitment requires more than ceremonies—it requires sustained action and vigilant oversight.
We call upon the Government of Guyana to ensure that the investigation into Adrianna’s death addresses all outstanding questions about the circumstances surrounding her disappearance and the institutional response that followed. This investigation must have the transparency and thoroughness that public credibility requires.
We urge the hotel industry to implement comprehensive safety reforms that exceed minimum regulatory requirements, ensuring the protection of all guests, particularly children. The Double Day Hotel, given its troubling history, bears a special responsibility to demonstrate that it has learned from past tragedies and implemented adequate safeguards.
We urge law enforcement agencies to acknowledge the failures revealed in this case and implement comprehensive reforms to ensure that future investigations adhere to professional standards for competence and transparency. This includes establishing clear protocols for crime scene management, evidence collection, witness interviews, and public communication, along with accountability mechanisms to ensure that failures result in meaningful consequences.
We urge regulatory agencies to conduct thorough reviews of safety standards and enforcement mechanisms for public facilities that are accessible to children. The regulatory framework must be strengthened to prevent tragedies like this one and to ensure accountability when prevention fails.
We urge the media to continue investigating this case and to hold institutions accountable for their performance. The public’s right to know extends to comprehensive scrutiny of institutional effectiveness and persistent questioning of explanations that fail to address legitimate concerns.
Most importantly, we urge the people of Guyana to reject institutional failure as inevitable or acceptable. The community response to this case demonstrates that the public will not tolerate incompetence, dishonesty, or lack of accountability from the institutions meant to serve them. This vigilance must be sustained until meaningful reform is achieved.
The death of Adrianna Younge represents a profound tragedy that has been deepened by questions about transparency, consistency in institutional response, and the apparent failure of multiple systems meant to protect children. Without comprehensive accountability—including the investigations and reforms we have outlined—the public will be left with no closure, but a lingering sense that justice remains incomplete.
The Guyana Business Journal remains committed to pursuing the truth in this matter and to demanding answers, accountability, and justice—not just for Adrianna, but for all Guyanese children. We will not allow this case to be forgotten or dismissed. We will continue to ask the hard questions, to demand transparency from institutions, and to hold those in positions of responsibility accountable for their actions and failures.
Adrianna Younge deserved better from the institutions meant to protect her. Her family deserves better from the systems intended to investigate her death and deliver justice. The people of Guyana deserve better from the institutions they fund and support. Until these institutions demonstrate that they can meet these basic expectations, the search for truth in Adrianna Younge’s death remains unfinished.
Today, we have laid to rest a child whose life was cut short by circumstances that remain inadequately explained. But we do not bury our commitment to truth, accountability, and justice. That commitment must live on, driving us toward the reforms and accountability that Adrianna’s death demands and that her memory deserves.
The pursuit of truth is not merely a journalistic obligation—it is a moral imperative. In the case of Adrianna Younge, that pursuit has only just begun. It will not end until every question has been answered, every failure acknowledged, and every necessary reform implemented. This is our promise to Adrianna, to her family, and to all the children of Guyana who depend on us to create a society worthy of their trust and deserving of their future.
The Guyana Business Journal is committed to delivering thoughtful, evidence-based insights on the most critical issues shaping Guyana’s future. We invite you to support our independent journalism as we continue to pursue truth, accountability, and justice in this and other matters of public importance.
Guyana Business Journal & Magazine
www.guyanabusinessjournal.com
Support Independent Analysis
The Guyana Business Journal is committed to delivering thoughtful, data-driven insights on the most critical issues shaping Guyana’s future—from oil and gas to climate change, governance, and development. We invite you to support us if you value and believe in the importance of independent Guyanese-led analysis. Your contributions help us sustain rigorous research, expand access, and amplify the voices of informed individuals across the Caribbean and the diaspora.
📢 Please support the Guyana Business Journal & Magazine today
Thank you for standing with us.
Dr. Terrence Richard Blackman
Founder, Guyana Business Journal and Magazine
APNU’s Youth Empowerment Agenda: Promise, Premise, and Practicality