Controversy Builds in Guyana Over Death of 11-Year-Old Adriana Younge

GEORGETOWN, Guyana – Police say that a nursing assistant, who claimed that she witnessed the post-mortem of the 11-year-old Adriana Younge, whose body had been found in a swimming pool of a hotel, has surrendered to law enforcement authorities.

Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony“The Guyana Police Force wishes to inform the public that Nursing Assistant Tiana Lewis-King turned herself in to the Police at the Criminal Investigation Department accompanied by an attorney from the law office of Hughes, Fields and Stoby,” the Guyana Police Force (GPF) said in a statement.

The police had earlier issued a wanted bulletin for the nursing assistant for allegedly creating public mischief and attempting to pervert and obstruct the course of justice.

Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony had in a statement denied he had sent the nursing assistant to the hospital to witness the autopsy being conducted by three international pathologists on the 11-year-old  child.

His denial came after an audio recording “came to my attention in which a female voice informs inter alia that she was present at the post-mortem examination of Adriana Younge conducted on the 28th day of April, 2025, at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation and that she was sent there by me”.

The Health Minister said that after some enquiries, he subsequently found out who the person is a nursing assistant employed by the Ministry of Health who currently works at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.

“As far as I am aware, I do not know this person. I have never met this person, and have never spoken to this person. Therefore, assuming she was present, she was not there upon my instructions or on my behalf.

“However, more fundamentally, it is public knowledge that the post-mortem examination was videotaped. Additionally, as is the norm in such procedures, a detailed log of all present and the material particulars of what was done was recorded. My information is that the said record does not show this person being present at the post-mortem.”

Anthony said that he has been informed by the police “which was responsible for videotaping the process, that they reviewed the videography, and it does not show this person being present at the post-mortem.

“I remain in consultation with my lawyers regarding legal proceedings; I may wish to pursue against this individual who is obviously trying to maliciously tarnish my professional, public and personal reputation and standing,” the Health Minister said.

On Monday, the child’s family said the funeral planned which had for later that day had been postponed.

In a message posted on her Facebook page, Amecia Simon, gave no date as to when the funeral of Adriana Younge would now take place.

“Due to ongoing matters and our family’s need for space and clarity as we grieve, we have made the painful decision to postpone Adriana’s funeral today,” she said, adding that a new date will be provided in due course “once we are able to”.

The child’s death had caused the government to institute a four-and-a-half-hour curfew following protest action, and the United States Ambassador to Guyana, Nicole Theriot, appealed for peace and the rule of law.

“I express my heartfelt condolences following the tragic death of Adrianna Younge and share my deep concern and sorrow over the crisis and civil unrest that have happened in Guyana.

“I encourage all Guyanese citizens to remain calm and voice their concerns through non-violent means and to adhere to the rule of law. Looting and destruction of property are harmful to all. I strongly urge all involved to commit to peace as the Government works to resolve the situation.

Last week, the government had announced a four-and-a-half-hour curfew and the order, which was gazetted last Tuesday, stated that there shall be no public meetings, gatherings, and assemblies of persons, procession or marches in any public space during the hours of 12:30am and 5:00am (local time),

An autopsy conducted by three internationally respected pathologists last week, has concluded that Younge died by drowning, but there have been calls for an international probe into the death of the child with  several  political parties and civil society actors dismissing a report from President Irfaan Ali that Younge did not die from “forceful drowning”.