One year after the tragic disappearance and death of 11-year-old Adriana Younge, East Bank Essequibo communities members took to the streets to demand accountability, while the family’s legal counsel issued a formal call for unprecedented public access to the upcoming legal proceedings.
On Friday, a solemn procession of mourners and activists marched from Parika to Tuschen, retracing the final geographic path of the child who went missing during a family outing on April 23, 2025. The march ended near the Double Day Hotel, the site where Younge’s body was discovered nearly 20 hours after she was first reported missing. Gospel artiste and APNU MP Saiku Andrews, who joined the walk in solidarity, relayed the emotional toll on the survivors, stating that the grieving family is still waiting for answers and closure one year later. Andrews emphasized that the walk was not only for Younge’s family, but for every citizen who believes that truth and accountability must never be selective.
The anniversary coincided with a legal maneuver by the family’s attorney, Dr. Dexter Todd. Following the Director of Public Prosecutions’ (DPP) recommendation for an Inquest, Dr. Todd officially requested that the proceedings be televised and broadcast live to the nation. Speaking at APNU’s weekly press conference on Friday, April 17, 2026, Dr. Todd argued that the public’s distrust in the initial investigation, which was marked by retracted police statements and conflicting timelines, necessitates total transparency. He maintained that broadcasting the proceedings would ensure that the witnesses’ testimonies and the jury’s findings are beyond reproach.
Dr. Todd also noted that while an inquest could rule the death an accident, it also maintains the authority to recommend criminal charges if negligence or foul play is identified by the jury. The attorney pointed to a “deafening silence” from the Guyana Police Force (GPF) regarding the broader investigation and the specific details of the hotel events. The family remains pushing for clarity on the “missing timeline,” specifically how a child could go missing at a crowded poolside and remain undiscovered for nearly a full day despite multiple searches of the area.
The upcoming inquest, to be led by a Magistrate and a jury, will be tasked with answering the fundamental questions of the tragedy, including the exact timeframe of the death and the role of hotel security and supervision. The proceedings will examine the medical and environmental causes of the drowning and determine if any person or entity should face criminal prosecution. As the community marks one year without Adriana Younge, the push for a televised hearing represents an attempt to ensure full public scrutiny of the legal process.
