Adriana Younge’s investigation remains active – Crime Chief

Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum has disclosed that the investigation into the death of 11-year-old Adriana Younge remains active.

“Detectives were advised to continue further investigation and on completion, the case file will be forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for her legal opinion,” Blanhum said during the third edition of the programme ‘Safeguarding our Nation’ streamed on the Guyana Police Force’s (GPF) Facebook page on Tuesday.

Adriana was found dead in the swimming pool at the Double Day Hotel located at Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo (EBE) on April 24; one day after she was reported missing. Her death sparked national outrage, with many questioning the circumstances surrounding the incident including the GPF’s actions following the filing of the missing person’s report.

She was laid to rest on June 22 after two autopsy reports confirmed that the cause of death was drowning, with no evidence of physical violence or sexual assault was found.

Meanwhile, during the programme, Blanhum expressed condolences to the family of Adriana.

“As a father, I also felt the heartbreak of this case. It affected us all. I wish to take this opportunity to express my sincere condolences to the family members of Adriana Younge. It was a tragic loss that shook the entire nation and we have learnt from it,” he said.

The Crime Chief noted that it is unfortunate that the incident was “hijacked by persons with sinister motives and lawless behaviour.”

He noted that, in an unusual step to ensure transparency, the post-mortem report was formally delivered to the family’s lawyer on June 16, 2025, despite the investigation still being active.

This clarification directly addresses a claim made by the family’s lawyer, reported in the media on June 24, 2025, stating that the police had failed to share the autopsy results.

However, Blanhum presented an image of a signature confirming that the autopsy report was officially delivered on June 16.

The Crime Chief disclosed that since the incident, Police Commander for the Region Three Division, Khalid Mandall, other law enforcement officers and a civilian employed at the CCTV command centre remain on administrative leave.

Mandall and the other officers were sent on leave after questions were raised about their response to the incident, while the civilian was sent on leave for allegedly providing misleading information about the child leaving the Hotel in a red Toyota Raum bearing registration number PSS 4684, influencing a subsequent police press release on the incident.

After the child’s body was discovered at the hotel’s pool, the police later released a second statement indicating that the initial report was inaccurate.