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By: Sydnee Walcott
Vacations are intended to be an enjoyable experience that allow individuals to escape the stresses of life. However, there have been times where vacations have been dangerous.
At 25 years old, Shanquella Robinson became a successful businesswoman who operated a renowned hair business independently, called The Exquisite Boutique.
On October 28, 2022, the North Carolina native along with a group of six friends decided to travel to the destination of Cabo, Mexico to celebrate a friend’s birthday. The vacation was cut short 24 hours after their arrival and confronted with the death of Robinson.
Robinson’s friends informed her parents that she had died from alcohol poisoning as a result of heavy drinking. However, on November 10th, their story would be discredited from the autopsy report which revealed Robinson’s severe spinal cord injury and broken neck, 15 minutes prior to her death.
Five days after the release of the autopsy report, a video surfaced over social media that revealed a woman physically assaulting Robinson while a man, who was recording the altercation, encouraged Robinson to fight back.
A few days following Robinson’s death, the six friends returned home safely to the United States, leaving Robinson’s body behind without remorse. During the week of November 6 and the 12, she was expected to return to her family.
By mid-November, major news and social media outlets in the United States began to acknowledge the story and provide updates over time.
Robinson’s murder continues to be an eye-opener for many and teaches people to select their friends wisely. It also teaches people the issues that persist within the criminal justice system.
Outlined are a few lessons individuals can learn from the case:
Selectiveness in Friends and Becoming a Loner
Often, children and teenagers bully those who have a small social group or no friends. In society, having a large group of friends is often associated with self worth and value.
Those who keep their circle small regularly face ridicule from peers for not wanting to expand their circle of friends and for being introverted. However, as individuals age, many realize that some people are deceptive which leads us to use discretion and judge who our real friends are.
One of the ideas that stood out about Robinson’s case was the awareness that it brought to several audiences. It teaches us the lesson on why people are selective when choosing their friends. It also teaches individuals to be careful in who they invest their time into and trust.
When watching videos about the case, people find comments like the following:
“This is why I keep my circle small.”
“Situations like these make me realize I am much safer being a loner.”
“Being a loner has its cons, but it is better than having fake friends.”
“My family/significant other are the only people I am comfortable hanging out with.”
While it is admirable to have a group of people to call their friends, there are many who can easily betray us. Situations like Robinson’s murder remind us to be mindful of the friends we associate ourselves with. It allows us to be self aware of our values and teaches us that being alone is sometimes less painful in the long run.
The Lack of Justice for Robinson
A few weeks after Robinson’s murder, an arrest warrant was issued on behalf of the Mexican authorities and the FBI for only one of the Cabo Six.
At the time of the warrant being issued, the suspect’s identity was not released.
However in March of 2023, the suspect’s identity was finally revealed in an 18 page letter mailed to President Joe Biden, diplomatic leaders, and attorneys including Ben Crump and Sue-Ann Robinson. The letter stated that 26-year-old Daejhanae Jackson is wanted by Mexican authorities.
The letter was written after the findings from the Mexico trip. These findings include the autopsy, prosecutor, and police records that were not released prior.
With this information exposed over public headlines, the United States Department of Justice announced that they would not file any charges against the case.
This case is a reminder of how the justice system can sometimes misrepresent Black people and how the Black community has to work hard to achieve equal rights in the criminal justice system.
Despite this heartbreaking news, Robinson’s family continues to fight for justice and demand for reform in the criminal justice system.
With October 28, 2023 marking a year since Robinson’s murder, individuals can hope that the suspects will be held accountable for their wrongful act. Individuals should use this situation as a learning experience to be cautious when choosing friends.
Sydnee Walcott is a Copy / Contributing Editor for Black Voice. She is also a writer who likes to capture the essence when writing articles on a variety of topics.