The Robinson family claims negligence in the FBI’s handling of Shanquella Robinson’s death investigation as they pursue a $100 million lawsuit.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A federal judge in Charlotte heard arguments Wednesday in a high-profile civil case tied to the death of 25-year-old Shanquella Robinson, a Charlotte woman who died in October 2022 while vacationing with friends in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
The lawsuit, filed by her mother Sallamondra Robinson, names as plaintiffs the FBI, the U.S. Department of State, and six of Shanquella’s travel companions, widely referred to as the “Cabo 6.” The suit seeks $100 million in damages and accuses the federal agencies of negligence in their handling of the investigation into her daughter’s death.
“I think the court understood the heart of the matter, which is exactly that,” said Sue-Ann Robinson, leading Sallamondra Robinson’s legal team and who is not related to the family. “The family is looking for answers, for transparency.”
Attorneys representing the federal government argued in court for the lawsuit to be dismissed. The FBI previously said it could not move forward with charges due to a lack of sufficient evidence and ultimately ruled Shanquella’s cause of death as inconclusive.
Sue-Ann Robinson filed a request to gain access to all evidence in the case and to have Shanquella’s personal belongings returned.
Government lawyers emphasized that more than 4,000 pages of documents and over two hours of video are still being reviewed. They cited privacy laws and procedural delays as reasons for the time taken.
“They know better than anyone else. They are the investigative agency for the country, they know what it takes and they know what time and delay does to evidence and that it can lead to spoilage of the evidence,” said Sue-Ann Robinson.
Sue-Ann Robinson said enough time has already passed without justice or accountability.
“The fact that they are further delaying turning over the information to the family is negligent and makes me think there is an issue involved,” Sue-Ann Robinson said.
The legal debate on Wednesday also turned to where this case should be tried. Attorneys for some of the travel mates are not only asking for dismissal, but also requesting that the case be moved to Mexico if it proceeds.
Sallamondra Robinson’s legal team strongly disagrees.
“A United States citizen should not be allowed to go overseas, harm or be involved in harming another United States citizen, and come back to the U.S. and essentially say that they are on base, that they are not going to be held liable, accountable or responsible,” said Sue-Ann Robinson outside of the court.
She countered that a trial in Mexico would be costly, legally complex, and unfair due to language barriers and the absence of jury trials in the Mexican legal system.
“It would be burdensome for cost, burdensome for travel, and the Mexican litigation system is completely different; there’s no jury,” she said.
Sue-Ann Robinson also argued that the six people who were present when the assault occurred are all located in the United States and should be required to testify here. She emphasized that the conspiracy and cover-up into Shanquella’s death also happened here, in the U.S.
“The convenient forum would be where all six individuals who were present in the room when the crime occurred, for them to be heard and give their testimony and have their day in court here,” she added.
Outside the courtroom, the attorneys representing some of the travel mates declined to speak in detail.
Shanquella’s father, Bernard Robinson, was also present. He was in the courtroom during the hearing.
“All I can do is stand here on Shanquella and talk, be her mouth, be her voice, because she didn’t deserve this at all,” he said. “Justice will be served, and nobody can tell me it won’t be served — and sometimes it takes a while.”
At this time, the judge has not made a ruling on whether the case will be dismissed or allowed to move forward in federal court.
Lawsuit filed
New court documents filed in the Shanquella Robinson case reveal additional details about administrative claims submitted to federal agencies before the family’s $100 million lawsuit against the U.S. government.
According to supplemental declarations filed on May 13 by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Sallamondra Robinson’s attorneys sent multiple “Notice of Intent to Sue” letters in late 2024—critical evidence that will be discussed during a court hearing scheduled for 11 a.m. Wednesday.
The documents acknowledge receipt of two previously undisclosed notices dated Dec. 4 and Dec. 13, 2024. These notices were received by the FBI on Dec. 16 and Dec. 27, 2024, respectively. Both letters allege negligence in the investigation of Shanquella Robinson’s death and failure to return her personal property.
RELATED: Shanquella Robinson’s family suing for $100M in damages, says there was ‘lack of diligence’ from federal government in her case
“As a result of the FBI’s breach of duty, Sallamondra Robinson suffered economic and emotional injuries,” the notices state, according to court filings.
The timing of these notices could prove crucial as federal defendants—including the FBI and State Department—have moved to dismiss the lawsuit. Federal agencies must typically receive administrative claims before lawsuits can proceed under the Federal Tort Claims Act.
RELATED: Motions to dismiss filed in Shanquella Robinson case
Background on the case
Shanquella Robinson, a 25-year-old Charlotte woman, died in October 2022 while vacationing in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, with six acquaintances now colloquially known as the “Cabo Six.” Her death certificate cited a severe spinal cord injury and broken neck.
The case gained national attention after a video allegedly showing Robinson being attacked went viral on social media.
“They had a video that went viral, the whole world saw the video, and there’s still been no arrest since Oct. 29, what kind of system is this?” Sallamondra Robinson told reporters last year.
TIMELINE: Shanquella Robinson’s death, investigation developments
Dual legal battles
The Robinson family is currently fighting legal battles on two fronts:
First, a wrongful death lawsuit filed in October 2024 against the six individuals who accompanied Robinson to Mexico alleges that Daejhanae Jackson physically attacked Robinson while others recorded the assault. That suit seeks damages for wrongful death, battery, negligence, conspiracy, and emotional distress.
Four of the defendants—Alysse Hyatt, Wenter Donovan, Malik Dyer, and, most recently,y Khalil Cooke—have filed motions to dismiss, arguing the case should be tried in Mexico rather than North Carolina.
RELATED: Another member of the ‘Cabo Six’ wants Shanquella Robinson’s wrongful death lawsuit dismissed
Second, a federal lawsuit against the FBI and State Department, which attorney Ben Crump announced on April 18, seeks $100 million in damages for alleged “lack of diligence” in the investigation. The newly filed court documents are related to this federal case.
Federal investigation status
The FBI’s Charlotte field office previously stated that “available evidence does not support a federal prosecution,” though they remained open to reviewing new information.
Mexican authorities issued an arrest warrant in November 2022 on femicide charges and stated in 2023 they would seek extradition of suspects, but no arrests have been made to date.
RELATED: Suspect accused in Shanquella Robinson’s death named in letter sent to White House
This week’s hearing
During Wednesday’s 11 a.m. hearing in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina, Judge Max O. Cogburn Jr. is expected to consider the federal defendants’ motion to dismiss alongside these newly filed supplemental declarations.
The federal agencies maintain that the additional documents “do not change the positions set forth by the Federal Defendants in their Motion to Dismiss,” according to the court filing.
Attorneys for the Robinson family are expected to argue that they properly followed administrative procedures before filing suit and that federal agencies should be held accountable for their handling of the investigation.
The outcome of Wednesday’s hearing could determine whether the $100 million federal lawsuit will proceed to trial.
Contact Jesse Pierre at [email protected] or follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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