Robinson Family Demands Answers After Influencer's Death in Zanzibar

Ashly Robinson, known online as Ashlee Jenae, died on April 9th in Zanzibar while celebrating her birthday with fiancé Joseph McCann. Initial reports suggested suicide, but discrepancies in the timeline and medical records have raised questions about this narrative.

The family disputes these claims, stating Robinson had never shown signs of wanting to harm herself. They initially received conflicting information regarding her condition; McCann informed them she was stable and hospitalized before they learned she had died. A medical report obtained by ABC Philadelphia noted an unidentified mark around Robinson's neck and stated that McCann found her hanging from a door. However, another hospital listed the cause of death as cerebral hypoxia due to strangulation and suffocation.

According to CBS News, police in Zanzibar are holding Joseph Isaac McCann's passport until autopsy results are complete. Authorities previously told local media that he was not suspected of wrongdoing. Witness accounts indicate that the couple arrived at Zuri Hotel in Zanzibar on April 4 and had been quarreling frequently until the night of April 8, when hotel management separated them after a dispute.

A few hours later, a hotel worker found Robinson unresponsive in a closet with a belt around her neck. She was taken to a hospital where she died the following day. The family told CBS News that they are seeking transparency and noted their daughter appeared happy in the days leading up to her death. They first learned something was wrong when McCann called to say Robinson was in the hospital, but details were limited.

Robinson's mother, Yolanda Endres, stated that hours before her daughter was rushed to the hospital, she and McCann reportedly had an argument that led hotel staff to move them into separate rooms. The family has requested surveillance footage from the resort and is pressing for a transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death.

Tanzania Police have since revealed Robinson’s death is 'attributed to a misunderstanding' between the influencer and McCann, while adding that the incident forced hotel staff to separate the newly engaged couple by placing McCann in another room 'for their safety.' In a Tuesday update, Tanzania Police said McCann 'continues to be questioned by the Police Force and his passport has been suspended,' though authorities did not elaborate on the nature of the investigation.