‘Bodies are expected to bloat before they float’- international pathologists say

May 19, 2025 News

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Adriana Younge’s case…

Kaieteur News- Three international forensic pathologists addressed a series of questions on Friday related to the science of drowning, raising further concerns and speculation surrounding the death of 11-year-old Adriana Younge, particularly the assertion that a body cannot float without first undergoing bloating.

This statement was made during a live webinar hosted by the International Academy for Certified Disaster and Emergency, Criminology and Forensic Professionals (IACDECFP-UK), featuring experts Dr. Ousman Leigh from Gambia, Dr. Lawrence Acheampong from Ghana, and Dr. Ben Achusi from Nigeria. The discussion, moderated by Adriana’s family lawyer, Dr. Dexter Todd, focused on the medico-legal aspects of drowning.

Adriana’s body was discovered by her father, Subryan Younge, in the swimming pool of the Double Day Hotel at Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo, on April 24, nearly 20 hours after she was reported missing during a family swimming trip. A post-mortem examination (PME) conducted on April 28 by Barbadian pathologist, Dr. Shubhakar Karra Paul, at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), confirmed drowning as the cause of death. The examination was observed by two other international experts.

The discovery of Adriana’s body raised questions among family members and the public, particularly regarding the position of her body in the pool and the marks found on her body. She was found in the pool in a standing position, and her body bore injuries to her hands, knees, and face. Parts of her body also appeared discoloured. Family members asserted that the pool was searched multiple times after Adriana went missing, with no sign of her. They also noted that Adriana was a skilled swimmer who frequently visited the river with her father.

A photo taken of Adriana after she was pulled from the pool showed no visible signs of bloating, particularly around her abdomen. Additionally, the police statement on the autopsy findings made no mention of bloating. These observations prompted concerned citizens to raise questions during the webinar about the circumstances surrounding her drowning.

During the webinar, a question was raised about whether a body can float without bloating. Dr. Achusi responded, “Bodies are expected to bloat before they float simply because of gaseous formation. And certainly, it takes more than 24 hours for that to happen.” He further stated, “If a body floats within 24 hours, we need to review the time that the body got drowned.”

Dr. Leigh added, “That is a technically difficult question because I am looking at it from the mechanism of the decomposition changes in the patient’s production by the bacteria, which is part of the normal flora. They tend to increase in number and eventually tend to form gas. So, a body that floats without the onset of bloating is something that I don’t think I have any experience about.” He emphasised that bloating is expected to occur after 24 hours, stating, “We don’t expect a body to float within 24 hours. Most often than not, it’s post-24 hours.  It would be a mere miracle for a body to float between 12 hours after drowning.”

Regarding the possibility of determining the cause of death a month later, whether someone died accidentally or was murdered and then thrown into a pool, Dr. Leigh acknowledged the difficulty, but noted that trauma could still be identifiable. He explained, “In either case, there could be evidence of trauma like in the form of laceration, bruises, contusions… So, this could be very, very difficult to say which one is which.” Dr. Achusi concurred, stating, “It would be very difficult to determine whether the person died accidentally or whether it is a murder. But you know, it all depends on the circumstances and the degree of decomposition of that body.” He added that the use of imaging, autopsy, or other tools for investigation may determine the manner of death.

When Adriana’s body was retrieved from the pool, visible discolouration was observed on her face, arms, and toes. During the webinar, a question was raised about whether an alleged overnight drowning could cause such skin discolouration. Dr. Leigh confirmed that skin can show discolouration overnight if submerged in water. He noted that such early changes are more noticeable in light-skinned individuals. “Yes, this is possible, because I’ve already mentioned that one of the definitions of drowning is an asphyxia death. So, due to asphyxia, this may lead to some bluish tinge in the body, like the mucous membrane, the mouth, the lip, and even the face. But these changes are better appreciated in light-skinned individuals, like a Caucasian, or somebody who is fair in complexion, compared to a very dark-skinned individual,” he said. “For changes like that, for a dark-skinned individual, you may appreciate it in these areas like the lips, the tongue, possibly you can also appreciate it on the fingers, as in the nail bed of the fingers.”  Dr. Achusi added that environmental factors, such as water temperature and cleanliness, can also affect post-mortem changes. “It also depends on the environment. When the water is very cold, like in very cold regions or during winter, the body is not likely to start decomposing very quickly. But if it was in warm waters that have bacteria, there are a couple of changes that could accelerate decomposition or affect post-mortem changes,” Dr Achusi said.

Addressing the onset of decomposition changes, Dr. Leigh explained that ambient temperature is the main determinant. He stated, “Within 24 hours, there is onset of post-mortem change. As long as the body is submerged in water, we expect post-mortem change to start.” He further described early signs like “washerwoman’s hand,” where the skin becomes wrinkled due to prolonged immersion. This form of post-mortem change was also discovered on Adriana’s body.

Regarding the impact of chemicals like chlorine, Dr. Leigh acknowledged that certain household products can affect post-mortem changes, but emphasized that prolonged immersion in water is the primary factor. He noted that “the minimum time for the onset of washerwoman’s hand is when you put your hand in water for 30 minutes minimum and above.”

So far in police investigations, a comprehensive toxicological study of the blood and gastric contents is being conducted by the National Medical Services (NMS) Laboratories in the United States. Additionally, tissue specimens are undergoing histological analysis by Mount Sinai’s board-certified forensic and diagnostic pathologists in the United States, according to police. Police have also gathered video footage during the time an alarm was raised about Adriana’s disappearance. On May 8, government announced that a retired Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) investigator, Leonard McCoshen, was hired to probe the child’s death.

In a detailed seven-point release, the GPF outlined its preliminary autopsy findings: No evidence of sexual assault – external genitalia examined, hymen intact; no traumatic injuries – soft tissues and skeletal structure were unremarkable; foam cone found in nostrils and mouth – often seen in drowning cases; “Washerwoman” skin changes – consistent with prolonged water immersion; no antemortem injuries – skin was intact prior to death; liquid in sphenoid sinus – a brain cavity; also consistent with drowning; liquid in lungs – another key indicator of drowning.

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