Police tells Adriana’s family: ‘Not standard practice to disclose autopsy or investigation reports’

Jun 17, 2025 News

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…Former officer says first time hearing of such a rule

Kaieteur News – The Guyana Police Force (GPF) does not release autopsy reports or other documents that form part of active criminal investigations, Commissioner of Police Clifton Hicken said in a letter to Dr. Dexter Todd, attorney of 11-year-old Adriana Younge’s family.

Hicken in the letter dated June 11, 2025 was responding to a request by Dr. Todd for the details of the investigation into Younge’s death as well as the final autopsy report. Specifically, Dr. Todd requested the report submitted by Leonard McCoshen, a retired Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) investigator.

In the letter, seen by Kaieteur News on Monday, the commissioner said “Reference your letter dated June 02, 2025 on the above subject, please be advised that it is not the procedure and or practice of the Guyana Police Force to disclose copies of Post Mortem reports or any other reports that forms part a criminal investigation, save and except, in Court at the appropriate time. As such, regrettably, the Guyana Police Force cannot accommodate your request at this time.”

The police commissioner’s response followed the second request, in writing, made by Dr. Todd for the reports. The formal requests were made to both the police commissioner and Crime Chief, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Wendell Blanhum.

It is important to note that in a press release issued on May 27, the GPF disclosed some of the final autopsy findings and stated that, based on both the Canadian investigator’s report and the post-mortem examination which concluded that Adriana died by drowning, the investigation has been concluded.

“The detectives are currently preparing the investigative case file for submission to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for her perusal and legal opinion,” the release stated.

The requests for the final autopsy and McCoshen’s report came amid questions posed by Dr. Carol Terry, a forensic pathologist based in the United States. Dr. Terry, performed the second autopsy on Adriana’s body in Atlanta, Georgia.  According to Dr. Todd, the pathologist cannot proceed with her report unless she receives the requested details from the police.

Meanwhile, retired Assistant Commissioner of Police, Paul Slowe, was on Monday asked to comment on the response Dr. Todd received from Hicken relative to obtaining the autopsy and investigation reports from the police.

He admitted that he never heard of such practice by the GPF. “I have never had that experience during my tenure. I really can’t give a comment on whether it is a usual practice,” he said.  Adriana Younge’s lifeless body was discovered on April 24 in the swimming pool of the Double Day International Hotel, just 20 hours after she was reported missing during a family trip to Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo.

A post-mortem examination was conducted on April 28 by a three-member international pathology team: Dr. Shubhakar Karra Paul (Barbados), Dr. Gary Collins (Chief Medical Examiner of Delaware, USA), and Dr. Glenn Rudner (Mount Sinai Hospital.  Their report concluded that Adriana died by drowning.

However, Adriana’s family, unconvinced by the findings, arranged for a second autopsy in the United States. Dr. Terry, Chief Medical Examiner of Gwinnett County, Georgia, performed the procedure but has since stated that drowning cannot be conclusively stated as the cause of death without further information from the police’s investigation.

The GPF did not release the reports, but instead issued a press release outlining the findings of both the first autopsy and McCoshen’s investigation.

The police stated that Adriana’s death has been officially ruled a drowning, with no signs of foul play, according to the final post-mortem report submitted to them by the three international pathologists to investigators. Additionally, police said there were no signs of trauma, assault, or criminal activity.

According to the police, a comprehensive post-mortem examination, including toxicology and DNA testing, was carried out. Key findings include:

No signs of acute injury or trauma were present.

Toxicology results showed ethanol levels consistent with post-mortem decomposition.

Sexual assault kit and DNA analysis for potential suspects were negative.

Skin and airway changes were in line with prolonged submersion and drowning.

There was no evidence of restraint, struggle, removal, or return of the body.

The pathologists concluded that Adriana Younge drowned, likely sank to the bottom of the pool, and later surfaced due to natural decomposition processes common in tropical climates.

McCoshen in his report concluded that there is “no evidence of foul play by persons named or unnamed during the investigation”.

Despite the GPF’s public summary, Adriana’s family insists on reviewing the reports first-hand, especially as Dr. Terry’s conclusions remain pending due to the lack of the full investigative record.

Adriana will be laid to rest on Sunday.

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Pic saved as: Adriana

Caption:

Pic saved as: Hicken

Caption: Commissioner of Police, Clifton Hicken

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• Adriana Younge, Clifton Hicken, Guyana Police Force, Paul Slowe, Wendell Blanhum

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