Ashly Robinson, a New Jersey woman who posted online as Ashlee Jenae, died suddenly while traveling in Zanzibar with her fiancé. Robinson, who had been celebrating her 31st birthday, traveled with boyfriend Joe McCann; social media posts indicate he proposed during the trip.
Tanzanian investigators said they are questioning McCann and are holding his passport until autopsy results are complete. Authorities previously told local media that McCann was not suspected of wrongdoing.
Robinson’s parents say they have received few concrete details about what happened and want a transparent, thorough investigation. “She’s always smiling. She loved being in front of the camera,” her father, Harry Robinson, said, adding that the circumstances “just don’t add up.”
Robinson’s mother, Yolanda Endres, told CBS News that her daughter seemed happy in the days before her death. “They were in a gorgeous place in Africa and happy,” Endres 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.”
The family says the first notification came when McCann called to say Robinson was in the hospital, but provided few specifics. Endres says McCann told them the incident had occurred about 11 hours before he called, then communication stopped. The next update they received came from the hotel, which notified them that their daughter 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.”
The family says they have not been contacted by police or medical officials with details about the circumstances or cause of death. They are calling for a full investigation, including review of resort surveillance footage to establish a clear timeline.
“There’s cameras everywhere at a resort and that will match the timeline,” Harry Robinson said. “Just do the investigation and let us know.” Endres added, “Her family right now, we are hurting. So we need to know. We just need to know. And we need to get her home.”
When asked whether they believe McCann was involved, Endres said, “We don’t know what went on.” Harry Robinson emphasized the family wants transparency while Tanzanian authorities complete their work.
Robinson’s family also visited the U.S. embassy in Washington seeking information but said they did not receive new details. They hope for timely updates they can share with Robinson’s followers and to secure the return of her remains.
Investigations remain ongoing.