CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WJZY) — Mexican officials are calling for an American woman to be extradited after filing charges against her for the death of another American woman last month.
Shanquella Robinson, well known for her business braiding hair, was at a villa in Mexico’s San Jose del Cabo in late October with a group of friends celebrating someone’s birthday. The 25-year-old from Charlotte, North Carolina turned up dead after just one day on vacation.
According to Sub-Prosecutor Antonio Lopez Rodriguez, evidence indicated Robinson died in “a direct attack, not an accident,” that was “apparently caused” by one of her friends.
Mexican prosecutors said Thursday they would carry out the procedures to have the suspect, an unidentified American woman, be extradited. The case is being treated as a potential homicide.
The Attorney General of the State of Baja California will also investigate potential cover-ups or omissions regarding the investigation into Robinson’s death. Nexstar’s WJZY previously reported discrepancies between police reports made after Robinson was found dead and autopsy findings.
A police officer investigating the case in Mexico told WJZY that Robinson’s friend told authorities “she had alcohol poisoning” before her death.
Her family said the friends told them the same story.
“They said she wasn’t feeling well. She had alcohol poisoning,” Sallamondra Robinson told WJZY earlier this month.
An autopsy later revealed that Shanquella Robinson had a severe spinal cord injury and atlas luxation – instability in the uppermost vertebrae.
Robinson’s mother told WJZY, “When the autopsy came back, they said it didn’t have anything to do with the alcohol. [They] said that she had a broken neck and her spine in the back was cracked. She had been beaten.”
WJZY also obtained a video that shows the alleged attack in the vacation villa. The video appears to show a woman charging at Robinson, who was naked, ad delivering several punches and kicks to her head and neck.
In the video, someone urges ‘Quella’ to fight back.
“Quella, can you at least fight back?” a man is heard saying to which she answers, “No.”
The FBI previously confirmed it had opened an investigation into the Charlotte woman’s death as well.