Adrianna Younge Death Sparks Outrage in Guyana as Family Rejects Autopsy Ruling of Drowning

11-year-old Adrianna Younge's tragic death at Guyana’s Double Day Hotel sparks nationwide protests, as her family and community push for an international investigation beyond the autopsy ruling of drowning.

TUSCHEN, GUYANA — The heartbreaking death of 11-year-old Adrianna Younge at the Double Day Hotel has sparked a nationwide outcry across Guyana, with her family rejecting autopsy results that ruled her death a drowning and demanding an international investigation.

On April 23, 2025, Adrianna visited the Double Day Hotel with her grandmother and relatives for a day at the pool. After purchasing access to the swimming area, Adrianna was last seen shortly after 1:10 PM. Around 3:30 PM, her family raised the alarm when she was nowhere to be found. Despite frantic searches, Adrianna’s body was not discovered until the following morning, floating in the hotel's pool, showing visible bruises and swelling on her face and limbs.

The initial police investigation was immediately clouded in controversy after officers incorrectly reported Adrianna had left the property in a red and black Toyota Raum, only to retract the claim later. These conflicting statements fueled growing public distrust and outrage.

The condition of Adrianna’s body raised immediate concerns that her death was not a simple drowning. Family members and community leaders pointed to her injuries and the unexplained 20-hour delay in discovering her body in a small pool that had already been searched multiple times.

Double Day Hotel itself carries a troubled past. In 2012, a young man named Sadeek Juman was found dead under suspicious circumstances at the same hotel. Hotel owner Bhojnarine Bhola was charged with Juman’s murder but was later acquitted. Adding to suspicions, reports have surfaced that Bhola and his family have longstanding ties to criminal activities abroad.

In the wake of Adrianna’s death, Bhola and his wife, Maya Sukhraj, reportedly fled Guyana, deepening suspicions of foul play. Some protests erupted into violence, with reports of fires being set at the hotel and the owner's nearby residence, although these acts remain unconfirmed by officials.

An independent autopsy overseen by American forensic pathologist Dr. Gary L. Collins, alongside two state-appointed doctors, concluded that Adrianna died by drowning. No signs of broken bones or external injuries were officially reported. However, Adrianna’s family refused to accept the findings, arguing that critical questions about the timeline and location of her death remain unanswered.

“This is no result to me,” said her father, Subrian Younge, outside Georgetown Public Hospital after the autopsy. Tensions outside the hospital were high, with riot police clashing with protesters demanding justice.

Samples from Adrianna’s body have been sent overseas for further forensic analysis, including tests to determine the presence of any foreign substances.

The tragedy has drawn attention to the broader failures in Guyana’s child protection systems. The Rights of the Child Commission issued a sharp statement demanding a transparent and independent investigation, citing the government's obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

President Irfaan Ali personally visited Adrianna’s family and pledged full support for an independent inquiry, but many remain skeptical. Unverified rumors circulating online suggest that Bhola may be related to the President, further fueling accusations of political interference.

Across social media, Guyanese citizens expressed their fury, with one resident writing, “Drowning in that little pool that people searched and her body popping up 12 hours later is diabolical."