The family of 11-year-old Adrianna Younge is calling on the Government of Guyana to seek assistance from international law enforcement agencies, including the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) or the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), to conduct an independent investigation into the young girl’s death.
On Friday, the family refused to allow a Barbados-based forensic pathologist to perform the autopsy, citing concerns about impartiality.
“There was no post-mortem. The family is seeking to get an independent person. We’re working to get somebody overseas now,” said the family’s attorney, Darren Wade, in an interview with Demerara Waves Online News.
Wade reiterated that the family has “no confidence” in the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to conduct an unbiased and thorough investigation. He emphasized that international assistance was necessary to ensure transparency and justice.
Despite the family’s objections, the Guyana Police Force announced late Friday that it would continue its investigations. Law enforcement authorities reported that several individuals had been interviewed, including the proprietor of the Double Day Hotel and Bar, hotel employees, a security guard, and a swimming instructor.
Younge’s body was discovered on Thursday in the swimming pool at the Double Day Hotel, a finding that appeared inconsistent with earlier police statements suggesting she had been seen entering a vehicle matching a specific description.
President Irfaan Ali, speaking on Friday, maintained that Dr. Shubhakar Karra Paul, an international forensic pathologist based in Barbados, would proceed with conducting the autopsy. He also assured the public that the family’s independent pathologist would be permitted to observe and ask questions during the procedure.
However, Wade raised concerns regarding Dr. Paul’s qualifications, publicly requesting the government to clarify whether Paul possesses postgraduate training in anatomical pathology and a subspecialty in forensic pathology, including details of where such training was received.
Dr. Paul has extensive experience in the field, with over 23 years specializing in forensic pathology, including autopsy examinations, crime scene evaluations, and the examination of skeletal remains. His career includes serving as a forensic medical examiner for three police constabularies in the United Kingdom, as a consultant forensic pathologist in Barbados’ Office of the Attorney General, and as a Programme Manager for forensic medicine in Northern Ireland. He has also held academic positions in departments of forensic medicine in India.
The case continues to draw national attention as the family presses for an investigation they believe will bring answers and justice for Adrianna Younge.
