By Travis Chase | HGP Nightly News
Tushin, East Bank Essequibo – Outrage exploded into the streets of Tushin on Thursday morning as furious residents set fires and stormed the Double Day Hotel after the body of 11-year-old Adriana Young was found with visible marks of violence in the hotel’s pool.
Young had been reported missing since Wednesday afternoon following a family outing to the hotel with her grandmother and relatives. Despite a reported police search on the day of her disappearance, her body was not discovered until the following morning—in the very pool that was supposedly searched.
This failure to locate the child earlier, along with false information released by the Guyana Police Force claiming that Young was seen entering a car via CCTV—later proven untrue—has sparked widespread calls for accountability.
Furious demonstrators called for the immediate resignation of Police Commissioner Clifton Hicken and senior commanders of the Guyana Police Force, accusing the institution of corruption and incompetence.
“The police force is totally corrupt! From day one since you came into office—we don’t need you anymore!” shouted one protester.
“I have the right to chase you, I’m a citizen of this country!”
Protesters blocked the main road, lit fires with tires and debris, and eventually stormed and set fire to the Double Day Hotel. An emotional and chaotic reaction from the community also torched the home of the hotel’s owner.
“Somebody has to be held accountable from the police. That’s just common sense,” another resident told HGP Nightly News.
Residents said they were shocked and angered that police and hotel staff failed to find Adriana’s body during initial searches. The girl’s father ultimately discovered her lifeless body in the pool himself—more than 12 hours later.
“How many more?” one resident asked. “The Guyana Police Force has failed this nation repeatedly. They misled the entire country last night.”
Unarmed officers were stationed nearby as thick smoke filled the air and chants for justice for Adriana Young continued.
“The Guyana Police Force doesn’t seem to understand what it means to serve and protect. They failed her.”
President Irfaan Ali has ordered a special investigation into the child’s death, and an independent pathologist is expected to examine the case.
