Berbicians lined the street for Adrianna Younge; block road, burn tyres

Apr 27, 2025 News

---

By Anasa Williams

Kaieteur News- Early Saturday morning, residents from several communities across West Coast Berbice (WCB) assembled at Paradise Village to peacefully protest the death of 11-year-old Adrianna Younge and remind the public of the injustice done to Isaiah and Josiah Henry several years ago.

At 07:30hrs, persons began arriving at the assembly point with placards bearing images of Younge, the Henry brothers and the Commissioner of Police, Clifton Hicken. Ranks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) stationed at the Weldaad Police Station.

People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) Member of Parliament (MP), Vinceroy Jordan, who hails from the WCB was also part of the protest.

The residents called for President Irfaan Ali, the Commissioner of Police and Commander Khalid Mandall to resign from their respective posts. Further, the residents intensified their call for an independent investigation and an overseas pathologist to perform the autopsy.

A resident of Number 41 Village, WCB told the media that he was unable to sleep Friday night and decided support the protest. “I was uneasy and I cyant sleep,” he said.

Romario Atkinson told reporters, “Mandall must go, Hicken must go, we need justice.”

Several mothers expressed that they felt hurt and anguished at the way the Guyana Police Force handled the matter. “Looking at that video, how that father had to jump overboard had me heart hurting,” one mother explained.

Jordan told the media that, “The government, the Guyana Police Force, we have no confidence in them and I guess this has been stated before, but this has brought it to a point that we must act. We must now as Guyanese take the stance and position that no other child, not another person, must die under the hands of this government.”

Closer to 12:00 hrs, the protestors took a break since the scorching midday sun was beating on them. Notwithstanding, the police maintained their presence in the community.

At around 16:00hrs, the Kaieteur News reporter on the scene observed thick smoke coming from the roadway. Upon investigation, it was discovered that tyres, old pieces of wood and old chairs were piled into the middle of the road and set ablaze.

Members of the Police Force quickly sprang into action to divert the traffic while extinguishing the flames. During that time, additional ranks arrived on the scene as backup, bringing two fire extinguishers.

A rank attempted to use one of the extinguishers to subdue the blaze, however, his attempts proved futile as the extinguisher did not work.

A resident identified as ‘Lambert’ resorted to using a small bucket to fetch water from the trench leading to the Belladrum Beach to quell the fire. Subsequently, the debris was removed by the ranks and Lambert and pushed into a nearby trench.

A few minutes after, the Guyana Fire Service arrived on the scene and helped remove the debris from the area. Firefighters also identified an open water source and set up shop, ready to spring into action at a moment’s notice.

Commander of Region Five, Lonsdale Withrite, told reporters that initially it was supposed to be a peaceful protest and that is what he had observed in the morning.

“That has changed to something else, as you have observed, but a protest cannot be like this. This is not a protest. I would like to encourage the resident to air their views or if they want to protest to do so in an organized and peaceful manner, so as not to disrupt the lives of persons traversing,” the commander urged.

On April 26, Kaieteur News reported that a protest which erupted on Thursday at the Double Day Hotel, Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo (EBE), moved to the Leonora Police Station and the Office of the President on Friday, as family members and supporters demanded justice for 11-year-old Adrianna Younge.

The child was found dead in the Double Day Hotel Pool on Thursday morning with strange marks on her body and face. She had disappeared the day before during a swimming trip with her grandmother and other relatives.

After the child’s body was discovered on Thursday morning, the Hotel was set ablaze, as angry protestors torched vehicles and hurled glass bottles towards the business. Looters also helped themselves to chairs, mattresses, plants, beverages and other items from the burning building. On Friday morning, when this newspaper visited the location, the two burnt buildings were still standing, with the pool full of debris.

At least four vehicles torched the previous day were still at the location.

In the meantime, protestors moved to the Leonora Police Station and the Office of the President. At Leonora, family members including the aunt and mother of Adrianna Younge called for the removal of Regional Commander, Khalid Mandall over the Police’s handling of the missing child report.

Outside of the Region Three Police Division Headquarters at Leonora, protestors recalled that the Police refused to drain the hotel’s pool.

Further, questions were raised regarding the Police’s refusal to shut down the hotel that evening to search for the 11-year-old girl.

Wendy Stuart, an aunt of Adrianna Younge, told Kaieteur News, “We searched, nobody was in the pool. While we were out here and everything was going on, somebody come and say look they just throw something in the pool and we go in and see the girl. By time then we see smoke on this building. They light the evidence. So, the Police prevent us from saving Adrianna’s life. They prevent us from having access to save Adrianna’s life.”

The woman said the Police did not search the pool and also refused to shut the building down. Furthermore, it was only until the sniffer dogs arrived that the child’s body surfaced. While surveillance cameras were seen around the building, relatives said they were told the equipment was not functioning.

Meanwhile, other protestors accused the Police of “being in Double Day pocket” while others shouted that they allowed a murder and helped to “cover up.”

The thoroughfare was later blocked by protestors at the Leonora Station. Further along the West Coast of Demerara at Meten-Meer-Zorg, another section of the public road was blocked by burning tyres later in the evening. Police were on the scene and reportedly arrested persons for disorderly behaviour.

In a statement, President Irfaan Ali said, “There is no way blocking public roads, burning public infrastructure, and inconveniencing citizens will help little Adrianna’s cause or those interested in the truth. These actions are now politically instigated and will not be accepted. They are unlawful and unhelpful and action will be taken.

---

---