Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony, has raised serious concerns over calls for a second autopsy in the death of 11-year-old Adriana Younge, despite a unanimous conclusion from three internationally acclaimed forensic pathologists that the child died by drowning.
Speaking on Friday, Dr Anthony questioned the rationale behind seeking another post-mortem when the initial examination was thorough, witnessed by family representatives, and deemed satisfactory by all parties involved—including the family’s own expert, American pathologist Dr Gary Collins.
“If everyone was satisfied with the initial autopsy, why is there now a request for another pathologist?” Dr Anthony asked. “The body was handed over to the family on Monday and is no longer under police protection. If another autopsy is done, we don’t know what may have happened to the body in that time.”
The minister warned that the integrity and legal effect of a second autopsy could be questionable, particularly since the body has not remained in official custody since the original procedure.
According to Dr Anthony, the initial autopsy was performed by a team that included Dr Collins—Chief Medical Examiner for the State of Delaware, nominated by the family—as well as Dr Shubhakar Karra Paul, a UK-trained forensic pathologist serving in Barbados, and Dr Glenn A. Rudner of Mount Sinai Hospital, USA. All three independently and collectively concluded that Adriana died from drowning, with no signs of forced submersion or trauma.
“This was a transparent, meticulously documented process,” Dr Anthony stated. “The entire procedure was recorded on video, and the findings were shared with the family—who expressed satisfaction at every stage.”
Dr Anthony noted that the autopsy included full body scans and internal examinations, with samples sent for advanced analysis to Mount Sinai and the National Medical Services Laboratory in the United States.
Now, a fourth opinion is reportedly being sought from Trinidad and Tobago- Dr Hubert Daisley—a controversial figure previously criticised for an incorrect cause of death determination in a 2013 case, where he mistakenly attributed a death to strangulation/murder rather than an asthma complication. At the time, Trinidad’s then-Health Minister stated that Dr Daisley was not qualified as a forensic pathologist under their Medical Board.
Dr. Anthony stressed that Dr Daisley would first need accreditation from Guyana’s Medical Council before being allowed to practise locally—an independent body which must assess his qualifications and determine his fitness to perform such work.
“It seems like there are elements trying to delay this process and create controversy,” Dr Anthony added. “We have scientific evidence, credible experts, and transparency. The question is: what is the real motivation here?”
Adriana Younge was discovered dead in a swimming pool at a local hotel on 24 April during a family outing. Her body was examined on 29 April and subsequently released to her family for burial.
The government has reiterated its confidence in the findings of the original post-mortem and cautioned against undermining public trust in the process without credible reason.
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