It has been more than a year since the U.S. declined to press charges for the death of Shanquella Robinson in Mexico. Now, her family, namely her mother, Sallamondra, is suing the people who were on the group trip with Robinson when she died. They’re also bringing the smoke to the State Department and FBI.
Tuesday (Oct. 29) marked two years since Shanquella Robinson passed away in 2022. “I need justice for my child” is what her mother recently said at a press conference about her lawsuit, per Fox 8.
Shanquella Robinson: Details About Mother’s Lawsuit
Shanquella Robinson was out in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, for a friend’s trip for about a day before she died. There were six other people on the trip with Sallamondra’s 25-year-old daughter. She’s suing all of them, calling them the ‘Cabo Six,’ who allegedly lied about Shanquella’s death in an attempt to cover up an alleged crime.
Meanwhile, the Six have reportedly insisted that Shanquella hurt herself after getting too lit. They’ve also said that the bruises on the deceased’s head and arms came from falling into a pool. Robinson ultimately died in the villa they were staying in, and the six flew back to the U.S. afterward.
Soon after, though, a video surfaced of one of the friends beating a naked Robinson sometime within the 24 hours the 25-year-old had arrived at the villa. While others in the villa encouraged her to fight back, Shanquella refused, and the other woman was seen punching her and kicking her in the head and the back of her neck.
Sallamondra is suing the FBI for allegedly dragging their feet with the investigation and a second autopsy.
“Some of these people should have already been in jail. Long time ago. Long time ago! You got a video. If it had been anybody else’s child, they would have been locked up,” the mother said.
As for the State Department, the family’s lawyer, Sue-Ann Robinson, said the “process has not even begun” in seeking justice. All the defendants in the lawsuits will have 21 days after being served to respond.
Here’s What Shanquella’s Two Autopsy Reports Said
For context, Mexican authorities reportedly issued an arrest warrant for one of the Cabo Six amid their autopsy finding injury to her head and the back of her neck. A second autopsy by the FBI contracted those findings, though.
Mecklenburg County Medical Examiner found Shaquella Robinson’s spine intact. She had no skull fractures and showed no evidence of being choked. There were also no rib or other vertebral column fractures and no other injuries to the spine overall, per WBTV.
Her cause of death is still unknown, but the second report did acknowledge a hematoma injury on her forehead, meaning a pool of blood. Robinson had also suffered a concussion and inadequate blood flow to her brain. Her forehead injury did indicate blunt force trauma.
Ultimately, U.S. Attorney Dena King from North Carolina (the victim’s home state) previously said there wasn’t enough evidence in the case to charge anyone. Additionally, Mexican authorities claimed that the U.S. hasn’t complied with a request for extradition of their suspect(s).
