The family of a New Jersey woman is calling for a transparent investigation after Ashly Robinson died suddenly while vacationing in Zanzibar. Robinson, a social media influencer known online as Ashlee Jenae, was on a trip with her fiancé, Joe McCann, to celebrate her 31st birthday.
The sudden loss has left her parents, Harry Robinson and Yolanda Endres, searching for answers regarding the circumstances of her death. While Tanzanian authorities have not named any suspects, the family describes a confusing series of events and a lack of communication that has complicated their grieving process.
The trip, which was intended to be a celebratory milestone, included a marriage proposal from McCann. However, the joy of the engagement was short-lived. Robinson’s family says they were blindsided by the news of her passing, receiving the final confirmation not from her partner, but from the hotel where they were staying.
Timeline of Events and Communication Gaps
According to her parents, the first indication that something was wrong came via a phone call from Joe McCann. During that conversation, McCann informed them that Robinson had been hospitalized, though the family says the details provided were sparse.
Yolanda Endres recalled the confusion surrounding the timing of the emergency. “I asked him when it happened and where it happened and he told me that something had occurred 11 hours prior to when he was reaching out to me,” Endres said.
Following that initial call, the family says communication from McCann ceased. They did not receive a direct notification of her death from the fiancé; instead, they were contacted by hotel staff who informed them that Robinson had died.
“The fiancé did not reach out to us at all. We found out from the hotel,” Harry Robinson said. “That’s devastating when your daughter’s halfway around the world. We just wanted to know where she was at, who she was with, and that she was OK. Just give us something.”
| Event | Detail |
|---|---|
| Trip Purpose | Celebration of Ashly Robinson’s 31st birthday and engagement |
| Initial Notification | McCann informs family Robinson is hospitalized (11 hours after incident) |
| Final Notification | Hotel staff notifies family of Robinson’s death |
| Official Action | Tanzanian authorities hold McCann’s passport pending autopsy |
The Investigation in Tanzania
Authorities in Tanzania have confirmed that an investigation is underway. During a news conference on Tuesday, investigators stated that they are currently questioning Joe McCann. As a standard part of the process, officials are holding his passport until the results of the autopsy are complete.
Despite the retention of the passport, local authorities previously informed media outlets that McCann is not currently suspected of any wrongdoing. However, the family remains focused on the need for full transparency to understand exactly how their daughter died.
Harry Robinson is specifically urging investigators to review security footage from the resort to establish a factual timeline of the events leading up to the tragedy. “There’s cameras everywhere at a resort and that will match the timeline,” he said. “Just do the investigation and let us know.”
A Family Seeking Closure
For the parents of the influencer, the suddenness of the death contrasts sharply with the images they saw of their daughter during her trip. They described her as a vibrant person who loved being in the spotlight and appeared happy in the days preceding her death.
“She’s always smiling. She loved being in front of the camera,” Harry Robinson said. “Nothing about it makes sense. It just doesn’t add up.”
Yolanda Endres echoed this sentiment, noting that the setting and the occasion should have been a time of happiness. “They were in a gorgeous place in Africa and happy,” she said. “Everything that we knew was that she was supposed to be happy. She was engaged, she celebrated her birthday thereafter, and then she’s just gone.”
Diplomatic Efforts and Next Steps
Seeking a breakthrough in the case, the Robinson family traveled to the U.S. Embassy in Washington on Monday. They hoped that diplomatic channels might provide more clarity or expedite the flow of information from Tanzanian officials. However, they reported that they did not receive any new information during that visit.
When asked if they believe Joe McCann played a role in the death, Yolanda Endres remained neutral, stating, “We don’t know what went on.” Harry Robinson emphasized that the family’s primary goal is not to make accusations, but to secure the truth. “It’s under investigation and, like we said, you know, we just want transparency,” he added.
The family’s immediate priorities are twofold: obtaining a comprehensive explanation for the death and arranging for Robinson’s body to be returned to the United States. “Her family right now, we are hurting,” Endres said. “So we need to know. We just need to know. And we need to get her home.”
The family expressed a desire to share an official update with Robinson’s online community and followers once verified information becomes available.
The resolution of the case now rests on the completion of the autopsy in Tanzania and the subsequent review of the evidence by local investigators. The family awaits the release of those medical findings to determine the official cause of death.
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