The tragic death of a Florida high school cheerleader on a Carnival Cruise ship has left her family and community in shock. Anna Kepner, 18, was found deceased in her cabin on the Carnival Horizon on November 7 during a six-day Caribbean cruise with her family. The circumstances surrounding her death remain unclear, with limited information released to the public or her family.
According to two anonymous sources, Kepner was discovered by a housekeeper, concealed under a bed, wrapped in a blanket, and covered with life jackets. The night before her death, Kepner had reportedly told her family she was feeling unwell and retired to her room. The following morning, when she did not join her family for breakfast, a frantic search ensued.
The Carnival Horizon, a massive ship with a capacity of nearly 4,000 passengers, was thoroughly searched by her family. However, it was a housekeeper who found Kepner’s body when she entered the cabin to clean it around 11 a.m. Following the grim discovery, the ship rerouted to the Port of Miami, Florida. The Miami Dade County medical examiner recorded Kepner’s time of death as 11:17 a.m. on November 7, but the cause of death has not been disclosed.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has taken over the case due to Kepner’s death occurring in international waters. However, the agency has not released any details about the cause of her death, leaving her family, including her father, Christopher Kepner, in a state of distress and confusion.
Kepner, affectionately known as “Anna Banana” by her family, was a senior at Temple Christian School in Titusville, Florida. She was a talented gymnast and cheerleader who had recently completed her military entrance exam, according to her family.