The tragic circumstances surrounding the death of a well-known New Jersey social media influencer have cast a shadow over what was meant to be a joyous occasion. Ashly Robinson, who also went by Ashlee Jenae, was on a dream getaway in Zanzibar, celebrating her 31st birthday and recent engagement to Joe McCann, when the unthinkable happened.
Authorities report that Robinson was found in her hotel room after an attempted suicide on April 9. Despite being rushed to a hospital, she succumbed to her injuries the following day. The local police have classified her death as a suicide, following an incident where she reportedly attempted to hang herself from her hotel room door.
Her family, however, has expressed doubts, describing her death as “suspicious.” Their concerns are amplified by the fact that the tragedy unfolded shortly after Robinson and McCann’s engagement, which they were celebrating during the trip.
The Tanzanian police have indicated that a “misunderstanding” between Robinson and McCann may have contributed to the incident. Due to rising tensions, hotel staff decided to separate the pair, placing McCann in a different room to ensure their safety.
This heartbreaking incident has left many questions unanswered and a community mourning the loss of a vibrant personality who had touched the lives of many through her social media presence.
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.”
Ashly Robinson, also known as Ashlee Jenae, was a social media influencer with 145,000 Instagram followers who shared lifestyle content before her death. (GoFundMe)
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.
Sources have since told the BBC that McCann was being interviewed as a witness in the case and is not accused of any wrongdoing.
Ashly Robinson and her fiancé, Joe McCann, were enjoying a birthday trip to Zanzibar in early April. (iStock)
In light of Robinson’s death, her family is disputing authorities’ ruling that the 31-year-old influencer died by suicide.
Speaking to TMZ, Robinson’s parents, Harry and Yolanda Robinson, said they do not believe their daughter would take her own life, adding, “She was a beacon of light. A happy, go-lucky girl. Very excited to go on this birthday trip which later turned into a proposal.”
The family reportedly said McCann called them 11 hours after Robinson was hospitalized to let them know she was stable, and later informed them that their daughter had died.
Robinson’s parents told TMZ they have not heard from McCann since she died, a development that they find “very very odd,” FOX 29 reported.
“The sadness, the unanswered questions, and the distance from home have made this tragedy even more overwhelming for our family,” Robinson’s parents said in a statement shared to social media.
“At this time, there is an active investigation into the circumstances surrounding Ashly’s suspicious passing,” they added.
Robinson was a popular social media influencer prior to her death, boasting 145,000 followers on Instagram while posting lifestyle content to her page. She often shared photos of herself with McCann, with one of her final posts showing her feeding giraffes while on vacation in Zanzibar.
Fox News Digital reached out to McCann. It was not immediately clear if McCann had retained an attorney.
