The 31-year-old influencer died while on a trip to Tanzania
Credit: Ashlee Jenae/Instagram
NEED TO KNOW
- Influencer Ashlee Jenae’s family has raised over $40,000 in the wake of her sudden death while on a trip with her fiancé
- The 31-year-old influencer died while on a trip to Tanzania
- Police said that they are questioning her fiancé and have withheld his travel documentation, but have not accused him of any wrongdoing
Influencer Ashlee Jenae's family has raised over $40,000 in the wake of her sudden death while on a trip with her fiancé.
The 31-year-old influencer — whose real name is Ashly Robinson — was on a trip to the Tanzanian island Zanzibar with her fiancé Joe McCann when she was found unconscious in her villa, rushed to a local hospital and pronounced dead hours later.
Police initially said they believed Robinson's death was a suicide. They later said in a statement on Tuesday that they were questioning McCann and had withheld his travel documentation. (McCann has not responded to multiple requests by PEOPLE for comment.)
In the wake of Robinson's death, her parents have opened a GoFundMe, where they have raised over $40,000 to support funeral arrangements and travel costs.
“Many of you have reached out asking how you can support our family during this unimaginable time, and we are so grateful for the love and prayers,” penned her parents in the GoFundMe post's description. “As we grieve, we are also navigating an ongoing investigation and the challenges of being thousands of miles away while trying to bring Ashly home with dignity and seek answers. This fund is in response to those asking how to help and will support travel costs, arrangements, and unexpected expenses during this time. Thank you for standing with our family.”
As of April 15, nearly 700 individuals have contributed to the fundraiser.
Credit: Ashlee Jenae/Instagram
Robinson's family first announced the death of the internet personality in a statement on April 12, writing that she had died while staying at a luxury villa in Zanzibar with McCann. According to the content creator's Instagram, Robinson had celebrated her 31st birthday and gotten engaged to McCann on the trip, days before her death.
According to a statement released by the Tanzania Police Force on April 14, Robinson and McCann were separated into different rooms “for the safety of each other” following a “misunderstanding” days before the incident.
The BBC reported that police are speaking to McCann as a witness, and no arrests have been made.
Credit: Ashlee Jenae/Instagram
Per ABC 7, Robinson's mother, Yolanda Denise Endres, said that her daughter called her on April 8 to say that she and McCann had been moved into separate rooms after an argument. The next day, Endres added, she received a call from McCann telling her that "Ashly did something to herself and she was being taken to the hospital, and he told me she was stable."
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"I said what happened, and he told me it had been 11 hours prior," Endres reportedly said, noting that the hotel where the couple stayed notified Robinson's family about her death.
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