Fluid, foam & swelling all confirm drowning in Adriana Younge’s death – signed pathology report

The final autopsy report for 11-year-old Adriana Younge has confirmed that she died by drowning, dispelling lingering concerns of foul play.

The signed report, released on Wednesday and conducted by a team of three pathologists – Dr. Shubhakar Karra Paul, Dr. Glenn Rudner and Dr. Gary L. Collins, at the Georgetown Public Hospital on April 28 was supported by postmortem imaging, photographs, and videography.

Their unified opinion was that drowning was the cause of death, with no evidence of trauma or foul play.

The final autopsy report revealed lung and airway conditions that paint a clear picture of death by drowning.

Her lungs were “crepitant with oedema and congestion,” a classic postmortem indicator of drowning. The presence of bilateral pleural effusions — with over 400 ml of fluid pooled in her chest cavities — and a cone of residual foam in her nostrils and mouth further confirmed the cause of death.

In their findings, the three pathologists emphasized that the lung evidence supports drowning, not suffocation or blunt force trauma. “There is no evidence of strangulation or inhalation of other substances,” the report stated.

The foam and fluid patterns aligned with Adriana being alive at the time she entered the water — underscoring that this was not a postmortem submersion.

The child was last seen near a hotel pool on April 23, 2025, and was discovered floating in the water the following morning. Public speculation followed, fueled by the tragic circumstances, but the postmortem examination found classic signs of drowning, including foam in the airways, water in the lungs, and “washerwoman” skin changes on the hands and feet.

“The ethanol levels found are attributed to postmortem decomposition,” the report notes, ruling out intoxication.

Additionally, “no DNA from potential suspects” was detected, and there were “no antemortem injuries.”

The comprehensive assessment leaves little doubt in the minds of the examining pathologists: in their expert opinion, Adriana drowned.