Betrayed By Her Friends: Pursuing Justice for Shanquella Robinson
When Salamondra Robinson's daughter Shanquella took a trip with friends to Mexico in October 2022, she could never have imagined that she would be facing a mother's worst nightmare
Background
In October 2022, 25-year-old Shanquella Robinson traveled to San José del Cabo, Mexico, with six companions for what was supposed to be a luxury getaway. Within 24 hours, she was dead. What followed was an international investigation, a fight for justice, and a case that exposed deep flaws in legal systems across borders.
Who Was Shanquella Robinson?
Shanquella Robinson was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, on January 9, 1997. She grew up in a loving and supportive family, surrounded by people who admired her ambition and kind-hearted nature. She attended Winston-Salem State University, a historically Black institution, where she earned her degree.
After graduating, Shanquella channeled her passion for beauty and fashion into entrepreneurship. She founded Exquisite Boutique, a clothing business specializing in stylish, high-quality women's fashion. She also created Exquisite Kids, which focused on hair braiding for young girls. She actively promoted these businesses on social media.
Despite her busy schedule, Shanquella always made time for her friends. She had a close-knit circle that she had known for years. Some had been with her through college, while others were childhood friends. To those on the outside, it seemed like a tight bond between a group of young, successful individuals who supported each other and enjoyed traveling together.
Trip to Mexico
So, when the opportunity to travel to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, came up at the end of October 2022, it seemed like the perfect getaway. Shanquella had been looking forward to unwinding, enjoying the sun, and celebrating life with her friends. Before leaving, she spoke with her mother, Salamondra Robinson, to assure her that everything was fine.
On October 28, 2022, Shanquella Robinson boarded a flight from Charlotte, North Carolina, to San José del Cabo, Mexico, with six companions, known as "The Cabo Six.” Among them were her best friend, Khalil Cooke, and others identified as Wenter Donovan, Alysse Hyatt, Daejhanae Jackson, and Nazeer Wiggins.
The group checked into a luxury villa, Villa Linda 32, a private rental in the Puerto Los Cabos resort area. The trip was supposed to be a fun getaway, and Shanquella, known for her festive spirit and love for travel, wasted no time embracing the vacation mood. She posted clips on her social media, excited about the fun-filled weekend ahead.
According to reports, when the group checked into their villa, they spent the evening drinking and enjoying the amenities. Shanquella's mother, Salamondra Robinson, later revealed that her daughter had spoken to her over the phone that night.
She sounded fine and gave no indication that anything was wrong. However, by the afternoon of October 29, things had changed.
Tragic Accident?
At approximately 2:13 p.m., a local Mexican doctor, Dr. Karolina Beatriz Ornelas-Gutiérrez, was summoned to the villa as Shanquella was reportedly unwell. Upon arrival, the doctor found Shanquella stable but dehydrated, disoriented, and unable to communicate verbally.
Her friends attributed her condition to excessive alcohol consumption. The doctor suggested taking her to a hospital, but the friends refused, insisting she be treated at the villa instead. Then, the doctor attempted to administer an IV drip to keep her stable in the meantime.
Over the next few hours, Shanquella's condition deteriorated, and around 4:49 p.m., Shanquella began to seize, culminating in a cardiac arrest. Her pulse dropped, and despite extensive resuscitation efforts, she was eventually pronounced dead at 5:57 p.m.
After Shanquella Robinson’s tragic death on October 29, 2022, one of her friends contacted Shanquella’s mother to inform her of her daughter’s death. She was told that Shanquella had suffered from alcohol poisoning and didn’t survive. The story didn’t sit right with her family, especially because Shanquella was young, healthy, and had no prior health conditions.
Salamondra Robinson later recounted how Khalil Cooke, Shanquella’s best friend, personally visited their home after returning from Mexico. He insisted that no foul play was involved and repeated that Shanquella had simply consumed too much alcohol.
The other friends backed up this claim, painting a picture of a tragic accident during what was supposed to be a fun vacation. However, something didn’t sit right with Salamondra. Her motherly instinct told her there was more to the story.
Conflicting Accounts
A few days later, Mexican authorities conducted an autopsy, and what they found completely contradicted the friends’ version of events. The autopsy report, which was released on November 4, 2022, revealed that Shanquella had not died from alcohol poisoning at all. Instead, the report listed her cause of death as Severe spinal cord injury and Atlas luxation. (a broken neck)
The medical examiner also noted that she had died within 15 minutes of sustaining these injuries, meaning she couldn’t have been alive for hours, as the friends had suggested. Another major red flag was that the autopsy did not in any way mention alcohol poisoning as a contributing factor.
By the time this information surfaced, the group had already left Mexico, flying back to the U.S. without Shanquella’s body.
The moment Shanquella’s parents read the report, they were devastated, but they were also determined to get answers on how she sustained such injuries and the reason her so-called friends lied about it.
Viral Video and Public Outcry
The biggest turning point in the case came in mid-November 2022 when a disturbing video surfaced online, shedding new light on the circumstances surrounding Shanquella Robinson's death.
The footage, initially uploaded to Twitter, depicted a naked African-American woman, identified as Shanquella, being brutally assaulted by one of her female acquaintances in a bedroom of their vacation rental.
The attacker, believed to be Daejhanae Jackson, delivered a series of relentless punches to Shanquella's head, yanking her neck and throwing her onto the floor.
At least two other individuals were present during the altercation: one male who filmed the assault, while another person recorded the male capturing the event. In the video, a male voice can be heard saying, "Quella? Can you at least fight back? At least sum'in'?" Shanquella responds, "No!" indicating her unwillingness to engage in the fight.
The video's widespread circulation ignited shock, anger, and revulsion across social media platforms. Viewers were appalled not only by the severity of the assault but also by the apparent inaction of the bystanders, who chose to record the incident rather than intervene.
The footage raised significant questions about the events leading up to Shanquella's death and the role her travel companions may have played. Public outrage mounted as people demanded accountability and justice for Shanquella.
Justice for Shanquella
Shanquella’s parents, Bernard and Salamondra Robinson, spoke out in multiple interviews, expressing their heartbreak and frustration. They made it clear that they did not believe the story given by her companions and called for criminal charges. “They told us one thing, but the autopsy told us something else,” Salamondra Robinson said. “We just want the truth.”
With mounting pressure from the public and Shanquella's family, Mexican authorities reclassified her death as femicide, a term used in Mexico to describe the intentional killing of a woman because of her gender.
On November 23, 2022, an arrest warrant was issued in Mexico by Daniel de la Rosa Anaya, the Attorney General of Baja California Sur, for one of Shanquella's travel companions, identified as the "direct aggressor," on charges of femicide.
FBI Involvement
Due to the international nature of the case, the FBI Charlotte Field Office launched an investigation in November 2022. Since Shanquella was a U.S. citizen who died under suspicious circumstances, the FBI sought to determine if U.S. federal laws had been violated.
They conducted interviews, reviewed the autopsy report, and worked alongside Mexican authorities.
However, despite their involvement, the FBI later declined to file charges, citing insufficient evidence to prove criminal liability beyond a reasonable doubt under U.S. law. This decision frustrated Shanquella’s family and supporters, who believed the evidence was clear.
Legal Roadblocks
Meanwhile, Mexican officials had formally requested the U.S. to extradite the prime suspect, as the crime had occurred in Mexico. However, the U.S. Department of Justice and the State Department did not take any significant steps to honor this request. Since no formal extradition treaty obligates the U.S. to surrender citizens to Mexico in certain cases, the process remains stalled.
Despite these efforts, as of April 12, 2023, U.S. authorities announced they would not pursue criminal charges related to Shanquella's death, and no arrests have been made in the United States to date.
Robinson Family’s Pursuit of Justice
Frustrated by the lack of progress, Shanquella’s family and legal team, led by attorney Sue-Ann Robinson, continued to pressure U.S. authorities for justice. They held press conferences, met with officials in Washington, D.C., and urged the Biden administration to take action.
In October 2024, on the second anniversary of Shanquella's death, they filed a lawsuit against her six travel companions, as well as the U.S. Department of State and the FBI.
The lawsuit alleges multiple offenses, including battery, civil conspiracy, and intentional infliction of emotional distress, and seeks damages exceeding $25,000 from each defendant.
In response, two of the accused have filed motions to dismiss the allegations against them. The family also accused U.S. authorities of failing to make arrests and delaying the justice process.
Despite these efforts, the legal process remains slow. However, Shanquella’s family refuses to give up, continuing their fight for accountability. Their unwavering pursuit of justice has turned this case into a symbol of the fight against injustice and violence toward women.
Social Media Support
From the moment news of Shanquella Robinson’s tragic death surfaced, social media became a driving force in keeping her case alive, particularly within the Black community.
Hashtags like #JusticeForShanquella, trended across social media platforms, with thousands of people sharing her story, demanding accountability, and pressuring authorities to take action. The viral video of the assault played a significant role in shifting public perception, turning what was initially reported as a case of alcohol poisoning into a suspected homicide.
Celebrities, activists, and legal advocates joined the call for justice, amplifying the case's urgency. Many compared it to other instances where Black women's deaths were overlooked or not given immediate attention by law enforcement.
The case also sparked discussions about the dangers of fake friendships, as people speculated about the true motives of Shanquella's so-called friends who traveled with her to Mexico.
Closing Thoughts
Despite the public outcry and the legal actions taken, as of February 2025, no arrests have been made in the U.S., and the extradition process remains stalled. But Shanquella’s parents, particularly her mother, Salamondra Robinson, have remained vocal about their disappointment with the U.S. government’s handling of their daughter’s case.
As time passes, Shanquella Robinson’s family remains committed to keeping her story alive. While legal obstacles persist, continued pressure from the public and social media ensures that her case is not forgotten. The demand for justice is still strong, and until accountability is served, her loved ones and the world will keep fighting in her name.
Sources:
“Killing of Shanquella Robinson.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 28 Feb. 2025, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killing_of_Shanquella_Robinson#Criminal_charge_of_homicide.
Longmire, Becca. “Shanquella Robinson’s Family Files Lawsuit against Her Friends 2 Years after Her Mysterious Death in Mexico: ‘We Need Justice.’” People.Com, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2024, people.com/shanquella-robinson-family-files-lawsuit-against-friends-2-years-after-death-8736604.
WordInBlack. “New Details: What Really Happened to Shanquella Robinson?” The Sacramento Observer, 30 Nov. 2022, sacobserver.com/2022/11/new-details-what-really-happened-to-shanquella-robinson/.
Puente, Nathaniel. “Timeline | Shanquella Robinson Death Investigation & Developments | Wcnc.Com.” Timeline: Shanquella Robinson’s Death, Investigation Developments, 2023, www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/shanquella-robinson-death-investigation-developments-timeline/275-24824c30-027b-496b-9d14-3e367c78dd24.