As the nation mourns the heartbreaking death of 11-year-old Adrianna Younge, Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo has expressed condolences to her family on behalf of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and called for full transparency in the ongoing probe.
During a press conference on Thursday, the Vice President described it as a “sad day for Guyana.”
He also made it clear that anyone within the Guyana Police Force (GPF) found to be involved in covering up the circumstances surrounding the child’s death will face severe consequences.
Dr. Jagdeo’s remarks come amid growing public outrage and scrutiny of the police’s handling of the case. He pointed to several troubling inconsistencies in the GPF’s initial report.
According to that report, Adrianna was at the swimming pool of the Double Day Hotel in Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo, with her grandmother and siblings when she reportedly disappeared around 13:00-14:00 hours. The police initially claimed that the hotel’s CCTV system was non-functional; however, footage from external sources reportedly captured Adrianna entering a red and black Toyota Raum, bearing registration number PSS 4684, which was later seen heading east toward Vreed-en-Hoop.
“If they have that footage (the police) and they put it in the statement…they should immediately release that footage,” Dr Jagdeo said.
“Something is wrong, and we have to get to the bottom of it. We are not going to rest until that happens. And whoever is culpable, whoever, if there is a coverup, people will face consequences; we are not going to tolerate this. This young girl should never have lost her life.”
Just 24 hours after issuing the initial report, the GPF acknowledged discrepancies in the information released and has since launched an internal review.
Dr Jagdeo also spoke of the emotional toll the incident has taken on Adrianna’s family, stating, “I saw a video of the father speaking and how distraught he was. The family deserves answers, and the people of this country need answers.”
The discovery of Adrianna’s body in the hotel pool after hours of desperate searching has plunged the nation into deep mourning. Frustration over handling the case has sparked protests, with citizens demanding justice and accountability.
President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali has since ordered the GPF to establish a special investigative team to uncover the full circumstances surrounding the child’s death.
“We must uncover the full truth of everything that transpired, and no resource or effort will be spared,” the President said via his official social media account.
President Ali also spoke directly with Adrianna’s mother, pledging the government’s full support in pursuing justice. President Ali has further instructed the GPF to compile a comprehensive report detailing all actions since the investigation began.
To support this, the government has ordered an independent autopsy and Barbadian forensic pathologist Dr. Shubhakar Karra Paul is expected to arrive in Guyana at 5:30 p.m. today to conduct the post-mortem examination.
VP Jagdeo also offered his condolences on behalf of the PPP to the families of Maline LaCruz, who was killed by her husband, along with her mother, Waveny LaCruz and sister, Sueann LaCruz. Maline’s younger brother, Ceon LaCruz, was also injured in the shooting and is in critical condition.
He said the government is committed to uncovering the details behind the shooting, particularly the legality of the gun used to kill the three women.
“Because if he had a legal firearm, after the assault, he was supposed to lodge the firearm … we will look at this matter,” he assured.