Shanquella Brenada Robinson was a 25-year-old businesswoman from Charlotte, North Carolina who met a tragic and mysterious end while vacationing in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, in October 2022. 

Background

Born on January 9, 1997 Robinson was a graduate of Winston-Salem State University. She established herself as a successful entrepreneur, running several boutique beauty and children’s hair-braiding businesses under the “Exquisite Kids” and “Exquisite Boutique” brands in Charlotte. 

In late October 2022, Robinson traveled to Cabo San Lucas with a group of six individuals, collectively referred to as the “Cabo Six.” The group included her friend and five acquaintances: three women and three men. They checked into a luxury villa in the Puerto Los Cabos resort area on October 28, 2022.

Timeline of Events

• October 28, 2022: Robinson and her companions arrive in Cabo San Lucas and settle into their rented villa.
• October 29, 2022: Within 24 hours of their arrival, Robinson is found dead in the villa. Initial reports from her travel companions suggest she succumbed to alcohol poisoning. However a death certificate issued by Mexican authorities later indicates that the cause of death was “severe spinal cord injury and atlas luxation,” pointing towards a violent encounter.
• Mid-November 2022: A video surfaces online showing Robinson being physically assaulted by another woman in a bedroom, while others present do not intervene. This footage contradicts the initial claims of alcohol poisoning and intensifies public scrutiny.
• November 16, 2022: The State Attorney General’s Office of Baja California Sur reopens the investigation, treating Robinson’s death as a potential femicide. Authorities revisit the crime scene and gather additional evidence.
• November 18, 2022: The FBI’s Charlotte field office announces its own investigation into Robinson’s death, acknowledging the incident occurred in Mexico around October 29, 2022.
• November 23, 2022: Baja California Sur’s Attorney General, Daniel de la Rosa Anaya, issues an arrest warrant for an unnamed American citizen identified as the “direct aggressor” in Robinson’s death. Efforts to initiate extradition proceedings begin.
• April 12, 2023: U.S. federal prosecutors declare they will not pursue charges related to Robinson’s death, citing insufficient evidence to support a federal prosecution.
• October 2024: On the second anniversary of Robinson’s death, her family files a lawsuit against the “Cabo Six” and the FBI, alleging wrongful death, negligence, and emotional distress. The lawsuit claims that the group withheld crucial information and that the FBI failed to conduct a thorough investigation. The family seeks over $25,000 in damages from each defendant.

Theories and Suspects

The primary theory centers around the individuals who accompanied Robinson to Mexico. The emergence of the assault video implicates at least one member of the group in direct physical harm. 

The lawsuit filed by Robinson’s family alleges that the “Cabo Six” not only participated in the assault but also failed to seek timely medical assistance and subsequently misrepresented the cause of death. Despite the issuance of an arrest warrant in Mexico and the family’s persistent calls for justice, no arrests have been made to date.

On October 29th, a day after the group’s arrival, at around 2:13 p.m., a doctor from Cabo San Lucas was requested because a resident at the resort was feeling unwell.

At around the same time Shanquella’s mother received a phone call from one of her daughter’s travel companions saying that her daughter had taken ill and that a doctor was on the way to tend to her welfare.

Dr. Karolina Beatriz Ornelas-Gutiérrez from the American Medical Centre arrived within an hour and found “a female in stable condition, but dehydrated, disorientated, verbally unresponsive, unable to communicate, and appearing to be intoxicated.”

The explanation given to the doctor was that Robinson “drank a lot of alcohol.” The doctor recommended that Robinson be admitted into the hospital, but her travel companions insisted she be treated in the apartment room.

During medical treatment the doctor attempted to administer an IV-drip. However, Robinson’s condition worsened when she suffered a tonic–clonic seizure (a stiffening of the body, arms, and legs) around 4:13 p.m., about one hour after the doctor’s arrival.

An ambulance was called around 4:20 pm after Robinson began having trouble breathing, with her pulse dropping as well. Robinson then suffered a cardiac arrest.

Ambulant paramedics called to the scene around 4:49 pm tried to resuscitate Robinson, administering fourteen CPR rounds of cardiac-vascular compressions and intrathoracic pressure to her chest.

Shanquella Robinson was declared clinically dead at 5:57 pm, according to the police report.

Current Status

As of February 2025, the case remains unresolved. The family’s lawsuit against the “Cabo Six” and the FBI is pending, aiming to hold those responsible accountable and to address perceived investigative shortcomings. The lack of criminal charges, combined with the disturbing video evidence, has fueled public outcry and demands for justice.

We need justice for Shanquella Robinson.