Tweet

TUSCHEN, GUYANA — In a heart-wrenching and deeply troubling twist, the Guyana Police Force has admitted to releasing false information surrounding the disappearance and tragic death of 11-year-old Adrianna Younge, whose lifeless body was discovered floating in a hotel pool hours after police claimed she had been abducted and spirited away in a getaway car.

The young girl vanished on Wednesday afternoon while on a family swimming outing at Double Day Hotel in Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo. Despite frantic efforts to locate her—including searches of the pool, hotel rooms, and even rooftops—no trace of Adrianna was found on the day of her disappearance.

Then, in a shocking development that rocked the nation, her body surfaced in the same pool early Thursday morning.

A Web of Misinformation and a Mother’s Worst Nightmare

The police’s initial narrative was swift and startling. They announced to the public that surveillance footage had shown Adrianna leaving the hotel premises and entering a red and black Raum vehicle. A manhunt for the vehicle and its alleged occupant, “Orlando,” ensued. The public was led to believe the child had been abducted.

But none of it was true.

In a stunning reversal, Commander of Region Three, Senior Superintendent Khalid Mandall, issued a statement acknowledging the error, saying:

“Following preliminary investigations, it has been determined that certain details contained in the initial statement circulated were inaccurate.”

A Body in the Pool, and a System in Crisis

Even more chilling is the fact that Adrianna’s body surfaced in the very pool police claimed to have searched. The question now haunting the nation: How could trained officers and hotel staff miss the body of a child in a pool that was supposedly cleared during initial searches?

The Double Day Hotel has also come under intense scrutiny. Cameras attached to the building were reportedly not functional, according to the manager—raising even more red flags about the hotel’s security and safety standards.

A Tragic Timeline of Missteps

• 1:10 PM: Adrianna reportedly enters the pool with her siblings.
• Shortly After: She is discovered missing.
• Afternoon: Family searches pool and premises; no sign of her.
• Evening: Police announce she was seen getting into a car and issue an abduction alert.
• Next Morning: Adrianna’s body is found in the pool—not in a distant location as initially claimed.
• Police Response: “Details were inaccurate.”

The Mother’s Anguish

Amecia Simon, Adrianna’s mother, is devastated.

“Right now, my pressure high. I cried so much like I don’t have words to say,” she said in a tearful interview with local media.

She recalled being told by her own mother, Adrianna’s grandmother, that the child had gone missing. The grandmother left the pool briefly to get food and returned to find Adrianna gone.

The false hope offered by the police’s misleading report—suggesting the child had been abducted and might still be alive—only deepened the mother’s despair when reality struck the next morning.

Now, the Nation Demands Answers

The Guyana Police Force now says it is investigating how the inaccurate statement was prepared and disseminated. Those responsible will be interviewed, and the internal communication process will be reviewed.

“The safety and well-being of our citizens, particularly our children, remain a top priority,” the Force said in a statement that rang hollow to many outraged citizens.

Outrage Mounts as Calls for Accountability Grow

• Why was a false abduction story pushed to the public?
• How did trained professionals miss a body in a pool?
• Why were security cameras not functioning at a family-friendly hotel?
• And who will be held responsible for this catastrophic mishandling?

As a nation mourns Adrianna Younge, one thing is clear: This was not just a tragedy—it was a travesty.

The investigation continues, but trust in the system has already sunk to the bottom—just like the truth, until it finally floated to the surface.