THE funeral for 11-year-old Adriana Younge, whose heartbreaking death has stirred national mourning, will take place  today, 05 May 2025, with relatives, friends, and supporters travelling from all across Guyana and overseas to pay their final respects.

Adriana, a promising student who had just completed the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA), will be laid to rest following a service expected to be both emotional and unifying.

Her untimely passing has united Guyanese from all walks of life in grief and outrage, as investigations into the circumstances surrounding her death continue.

The young girl was found dead on April 24, 2025, in the swimming pool of the Double Day Hotel at Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo (EBE) , just a day after she went missing.  She had visited the hotel the previous day with family members.

Adriana’s family has strongly opposed plans to protest and postpone burial.

In a Facebook post on Saturday, Adriana’s aunt, Amika Lewis, urged the public to respect the family’s wishes, stating, “It has been brought to our (the family’s) attention that persons are planning to protest and stop the burial of Adriana Younge until another postmortem is done! We do not agree to or condone this action. We will bury Adriana in a peaceful manner on Monday.

“Honour Adriana and the wishes of her family. NO PROTESTS.”

She asked that supporters honour Adriana and her family by allowing the funeral to proceed quietly.

Her body will depart the Ezekiel Funeral Home at 11 a.m. and proceed to her residence at Hyde Park, Parika, East Bank Essequibo (EBE) for viewing.

The funeral service will be held at the Rice Mill Tarmac in the area, followed by interment at the Vergenoegen Cemetery. Adriana, a pupil of the Parika Salem Primary School, had recently completed the NGSA, and was eagerly awaiting her results, which are scheduled for release in June.

It was always her dream to attend the prestigious Queen’s College.

Following the discovery of her body at the hotel, the building was set on fire and enraged ‘protestors’ looted the establishment.  The home of the hotel’s proprietor was also torched.

Three internationally respected forensic pathologists have unanimously concluded that she died by drowning with samples sent for testing at both Mount Sinai Hospital and the National Medical Services Laboratory in the United States.