Shanquella Robinson's Death

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About

Shanquella Robinson's Death refers to the October 2022 murder of North Carolina businesswoman and hair-braider Shanquella Robinson, who died while visiting Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, allegedly killed by her travel companions. The incident was originally treated by Mexican authorities as a case of alcohol intoxication leading to death and Robinson had reportedly died of cardiac arrest. It was later revealed in the coroner's report that she had a severe spinal injury. Her family was suspicious of the death, claiming her travel companions all had conflicting stories when they returned. A viral video leaked in November 2022 allegedly showing Robinson being beaten in a hotel room by another woman, with Robinson's mother claiming it is her daughter in the video. In April 2023, it was then reported that after an FBI investigation, no criminal charges would be pursued in the death of Robinson, inspiring further backlash against the police.

Background

On October 29th, 2022, a doctor at the Mexican resort town Cabo San Lucas was called to the hotel room of 25-year-old Shanquella Robinson after her travel companions reportedly told them that Robinson had become sick. Robinson's mother Salamondra reportedly received a call around the same time from her travel companions telling her that she'd fallen ill and a doctor was on the way. The doctor, Dr. Karolina Beatriz Ornelas-Gutiérrez, reportedly found her in stable condition, but "dehydrated, disorientated, verbally unresponsive, unable to communicate and appearing to be intoxicated."^[1]^[2]

According to reports, Robinson's travel companions told her parents that she died of alcohol poisoning, however, a later death certificate issued by Mexican officials listed a “severe spinal cord injury and atlas luxation” as the cause of death.^[3] Robinson was then reportedly taken to the hospital from her hotel room where she was put on an IV but her health declined throughout the night and she had a tonic–clonic seizure and reportedly died of cardiac arrest around 4:20 p.m. Paramedics attempted to revive her but were unsuccessful. The U.S. State Department initially reported that there was no evidence of murder.^[4]

On November 22nd, Yahoo! News^[5] reported on discrepancies between the police report and the autopsy, with an attorney saying the autopsy should be believed more than the police's findings. The police report makes no mention of a spinal injury, while the death certificate does not mention alcohol and claims Robinson died within 15 minutes of her injury and was found unconscious. Robinson's parents expressed concerns over the death, including to Good Morning America (shown below, left), claiming that Shanquella's travel companions had inconsistent stories surrounding it.^[6] In an interview with Queen City News, she claimed Shanquella's body had signs of trauma (shown below, right).

Developments

Leaked Video

In late November 2022, a leaked video allegedly showing Shanquella Robinson, naked, being heated by another woman in their hotel room leaked online and started going viral on social media.^[7] In the video,^[8] a man can be heard saying, "Quella, can you at least fight back?" as the woman, who responds, "No," is beaten to the floor. Robinson's mother saw the video and claimed that her daughter is the one being beaten.^[9]

Arrest Warrant, Call for Intervention From Family

On November 24th, 2022, an arrest warrant was reportedly issued for one of Robinson's travel companions, reportedly the "direct aggressor" in her attack and death. Five months later, the alleged person was still not arrested or charged.^[10]^[11]

On March 16th, 2023, the Independent^[12] reported that the Robinson family made a call for intervention to President Biden and the Secretary of State Antony Blinken calling for “swift diplomatic intervention by the White House and the US Department of State to prioritize bringing those accountable for Shanquella Robinson’s death to justice.” In the letter, the family directly names the 26-year-old woman, Daejhanae Jackson, who they believe is responsible for her death.

April 2023 Update, No Criminal Charges Pursued

On April 12th, 2023, it was reported the FBI will not pursue criminal charges against anyone in the case of Shanquella Robinson's death, reporting that the evidence in her death does not support federal prosecution.^[14]

A copy of the letter from the U.S. Department of Justice was shared to /r/ShanquellaRobinson^[15] that day, titled, "Unbelievable," garnering over 50 upvotes in a day (shown below).

PARTMENT OF JUSTI THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT JUSTICE United States Attorneys Sandra J. Hairston and Dena J. King United States Attorneys' Offices for the Middle and Western Districts of North Carolina FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, April 12, 2023 FEDERAL OFFICIALS MEET WITH THE FAMILY OF SHANQUELLA ROBINSON CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Federal officials with the U.S. Attorneys' Offices in the Middle and Western Districts of North Carolina and the FBI met with the family of Ms. Shanquella Robinson and family representatives today to offer their condolences and present the findings of the federal investigation into the death of Ms. Robinson. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Ms. Robinson has been a priority for federal prosecutors and the FBI. The FBI has worked diligently to conduct a detailed and thorough investigation of the evidence available in this case. In coordination with Ms. Robinson's family, an autopsy was conducted in the United States by the Medical Examiner's Office in Mecklenburg County. As in every case under consideration for federal prosecution, the government must prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that a federal crime was committed. Based on the results of the autopsy and after a careful deliberation and review of the investigative materials by both U.S. Attorneys' Offices, federal prosecutors informed Ms. Robinson's family today that the available evidence does not support a federal prosecution. The death of Ms. Robinson has been incredibly difficult for her family and the community. As a matter of policy, federal officials generally do not issue public statements concerning the status of an investigation. However, given the circumstances of Ms. Robinson's death and the public concern surrounding this investigation, it is important to reassure the public that experienced federal agents and seasoned prosecutors extensively reviewed the available evidence and have concluded that federal charges cannot be pursued. As in any case, the government is prepared to review and examine new information related to the investigation should it become available. ###

Online Reactions

Since the case was first reported, people online began discussing and sharing it, looking to find justice for Robinson. A subreddit, /r/ShanquellaRobinson,^[13] was opened on November 17th, 2022, garnering over 5,100 members in five months. Mexican and American authorities received significant backlash throughout the case for their failure to take meaningful action in arresting the people suspected to be involved in the murder. Some people believed the treatment of Robinson's murder was driven by racism, especially after the April 2023 update revealing that no criminal charges would be pursued.^[16] The hashtag "#justiceforShanquella" became popular as the story spread.

As people dug into the case, they began naming all the people they suspected were involved in the murder, including Daejhanae Jackson (examples shown below).