With three pathologists on board, the post-mortem examination for 11-year-old Adrianna Younge is expected to be conducted today.

On Saturday evening, it was confirmed that a third forensic pathologist, Dr Glenn A. Rudner of the Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, would arrive in Guyana on Sunday to join the team and further have the PME conducted today.

Dr Rudner will join Dr Shubhakar Karra Paul, the government-appointed international pathologist from Barbados and Dr Gary L. Collins, Chief Medical Examiner of Delaware.

Dr. Rudner, a board-certified pathologist based in New York, earned his medical degree from Wayne State University School of Medicine, and has over 20 years of experience in the field. Dr. Rudner is scheduled to arrive in Guyana this evening.

Both Dr. Paul and Dr. Rudner are certified to practise in Guyana, with their qualifications having been assessed and approved by the Guyana Medical Council (GMC).
Younge’s body was discovered on April 24 in a pool at the Double Day Hotel in Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo, hours after she was reported missing, the prior day after a visit to the hotel with family members.
Several searches were carried out at the hotel’s pool with no sign of the child, and as such, when the body appeared mysteriously, it sparked outrage, which led to protest actions and calls for justice as foul play was suspected.
As such, relatives cited a lack of trust in the Guyana Police Force to investigate the death and requested an independent pathologist to conduct the PME.

This prompted President Dr Irfaan Ali to bring in Dr Paul to assist in the PME who had previously supported local forensic teams in identifying the victims of the Mahdia Secondary School dormitory fire in 2023.
While the family was not satisfied, they requested to fly in their own independent pathologist from the United States at the expense of the state, to which the President agreed.
President Ali, when speaking with Younge’s family on Saturday, affirmed, “All of us want the truth; we all want justice.”

At that time, he indicated that his government would honour all of their requests related to the investigation and the PME.
He said, “All of us want the truth. That is the only thing I’m interested in; ensuring the truth leads to [justice]. Whatever action has to be taken, will be taken.”
Further, to ensure transparency, the head of state asked the police to ensure in conducting the PME, everything is recorded and that there are no missteps and to allow for as many witnesses as the family would like.
“I’ve asked the police to make sure everything is videoed; no missteps. Everything must be observed. As many witnesses as the family wants in there [for the post-mortem], that is medically permissible. All of their requests, in terms of this post-mortem, must be honoured as far as possible,” President Ali told said to the family on Saturday.

On Saturday, Police Commissioner Clifton Hicken announced that Assistant Commissioner Khalid Mandall, Commander of Regional Division 3, has been placed on administrative leave.

He was first transferred to Division 4B, before he was sent on leave. Assistant Commissioner Mahindra Siewnarine has since been posted to oversee the division of Region Three.
Mandall has come in for severe criticism over the way he handled the case when Adrianna was first reported missing.
According to Hicken, several other police ranks are also under close arrest as investigations continue. President Ali also confirmed that the owner of the hotel and staff remain in police custody, while the Top Cop revealed that interviews are ongoing, with several individuals who may aid in the investigation.

President Ali on Saturday encouraged the family to engage in peaceful protest, and promised to visit them again to provide updates, and check on their well-being. “I will continue to be here to update you; to listen to you,” he promised.
The Head of State had previously emphasised that no effort or resource will be spared in uncovering the full truth. The police have promised to provide updates as the investigation unfolds.

BACKGROUND
Adrianna’s body was pulled from the hotel’s pool by her father, Subrian

Younge. According to initial police reports, she was last seen at the hotel on Wednesday afternoon, where she had gone swimming with her siblings, under the supervision of her grandmother.
The police initially said that surveillance footage showed Adrianna leaving the hotel and entering a red-and-black Toyota Raum motorcar, PSS 4684, which was said to be heading in the direction of Vreed-en-Hoop, West Coast Demerara (WCD).
The police said the vehicle was rented to a man they only identified as Orlando. At that point, the case was being treated as a suspected abduction. Although extensive searches were conducted on Wednesday, Adrianna was not located.

Police said the hotel’s management claimed its surveillance cameras were not working, further complicating the investigation. However, it remains unclear whether police officers independently verified the status of the cameras. Public outrage intensified on Thursday following the gruesome discovery of Adrianna’s body in the pool.

Calls mounted for the release of the video showing her entering the vehicle, and citizens questioned the thoroughness of the initial investigation.
In a subsequent statement, the police admitted that elements of its earlier communication regarding the alleged abduction were inaccurate.

They stated that preliminary investigations revealed discrepancies in the initial report, prompting an internal review of the communication processes that led to its release.

The police have reassured the public that a comprehensive investigation is underway, not only into Adrianna’s death but also into the missteps in communication.
Adrianna had recently completed the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA), and was eagerly awaiting her results, which are scheduled for release in June.