Shanquella Robinson was murdered on October 29, 2022, in the hands of so-called friends while they vacationed together in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico in an act where it doesn't matter who threw punches, all were responsible for the act and should be punished for it.
By now many of you have heard the accounts of the crime so I won't go into too much detail. October 29, Shanquella Robinson was on vacation with her friends when one of them started beating on Shanquella. Twenty-Five-year-old Ms. Robinson was allegedly beaten up by one of the other six friends (I will keep the young lady's name out of it for legal purposes) while the remaining five watched (including males within the group) and took cell phone footage. Many encouraged Ms. Robinson to fight back but she refused. It's rumored a couple egged the fight and further rumors suggest the assault was out of jealousy.
The group told authorities and Shanquella Robinson's mother, Salamondra Robinson she died of alcohol poisoning which was a lie because authorities and autopsy report later that she died from severe spinal cord injury and atlas luxation. Not only did they lie, but the group also delayed helping their so-called friend. They kept up with the lie when they returned home to Charlotte until the cell phone video surfaced. Then no one talked to parents or relatives nor did any of them attend Shanquella's funeral.
Now that arrest warrants are out for at least one of the friends, it's not going to be long before the other "friends" will be charged as well. Whether they have to be extradited to Mexico or not is questionable. What I do know is none of it needed to happen. I personally believe the attack was out of jealousy. Ms. Robinson continued to better herself in school and by running two businesses. She could have made a huge mark on the world. There are so many things wrong with this situation and I will be outlining a few of those details.
First, why go on vacation with someone you don't like? Especially in a large group. I've been on many vacations with friends and a couple where the vacation goes south, we were friends enough to make it work. This wasn't even the situation here. I personally believe a couple of the group members had ill intentions but when the actual incident occurred, they were all involved.
Shanquella learned too late that not everyone was her friend. I was taught that at a young age. I've met people and I give everyone a chance to either be a friend or not. Making friends is a gamble and keeping them is a task but you too have to be a good friend. To not sound confusing being a good friend also goes both ways. It also doesn't have anything to do with the shirt off your back or giving your last. To whom can you vent when fighting with your parents or spouse? Whose couch can you utilize when you suddenly become homeless? Who has your back in a fight or when you're getting jumped? Apparently, none of Ms. Johnson's friends.
It's hard to believe that there were so-called men there who were supposed to be in Shanquella's circle watching her getting beat up and taking cell phone footage. I saw some of the videos (it's hard to watch) where I heard a male voice say fight back. The second she refused was supposed to be the second one of them to intervene even if it is to separate the two. Another rumor is money was stolen from Ms. Robinson's account after the fact. Another situation where the so-called real men should have intervened.
That's all I have to say about that incident. Now I want to talk about my personal experiences and opinions. Things I was taught from childhood were certain rules about out-of-town trips.
You Need Your Own Money: The biggest thing I learned about out-of-town trips. I understand there are such things as "affordable trips" and while I'll never reveal how much I travel with; it won't be less than a few thousand. That's only because it has been taught to me since birth that anything can happen. I don't care if it's within the United States or a foreign country. You can get lost, be without lodging, need food or anything. Even when one of your friends says they "got you", still get your own lodging anyway. This leads to number two.
Really Know Your Circle: As I said earlier, I've been on out-of-town and day trips with friends and never had an issue. I personally don't think I've ever had a falling out with friends out of town. Even if I ever did have an "issue", it wouldn't be for long. Either we're squashing this or they'll be mad for the rest of the trip. I'm going to enjoy myself and if they're willing to ruin a trip because you're upset. This takes me to the next one.
You Need Your Own Accommodations & Transportation: Yes, I know this is just like having your own money but trust me this is separate. Even if you cancel later, you need your own room and way home. Again, just in case things go south, you need to be able to sleep in a safe place and safely get home.
Group Trips Where Everyone Pools Money: These kinds of trips are very tricky but easy to protect yourself. Make sure there is a contract saying that if things go south, you can receive a full refund. If you go, make sure you get the package with your room, your own transportation and amenities. This guarantees you will not only be safe but not have to deal with any issues while on your trip.
Know Who Your Friends Are (Period): This pertains less to taking a trip and more to life in general. I am proud to say I have more FRIENDS than enemies and that's on the basis of whom I can call on and who can call on me. Those I can vent to without judgment and vice versa. We can all grow and be successful without jealousy and complement each other.
I'm not sure if it's a generational thing but how can you really make a commitment like a trip with someone you don't even like? We go on trips to bond, have fun, discover new things and just relax. I'm not about to have fun stressing out folks who don't like me and I can normally detect whether someone doesn't like me or not. I get hated as well. It's just not that often. I even have those who hated me for years and then come back later and ask me for help. Many times, I will help depending on the situation because I learned to forgive but unless I see change, I will never forget.
I truly pray Shanquella's family gets the justice they deserve because there's nothing right about this situation. Being attacked, whether you were the one hitting or not. For the rest of you who were watching. You're no better than the one attacking her. There's so much I could say about what could have been done during the fight but I want to stick to the "friends" category.
If you hate me, I'd rather you leave my circle. You can't hate me and still be around me reaping the benefits because I definitely wouldn't do it to you. I hope you'd be happy for my growth as I will always be happy for your growth. I enjoy seeing the love and outpouring of support for Shanquella but this is just an example of giving flowers when people are alive. I'm sure Shanquella had tons of friends and admirers. Too bad none of them were on vacation with Shanquella.
Condolences to the family.
