The death of 18-year-old Anna Kepner aboard a Carnival cruise has officially been ruled a homicide, according to the death certificate issued on Monday. This awful finding, confirmed by the document that the Kepner family provided to ABC News, brings a tragic conclusion to weeks of waiting for answers.
The death certificate states the cause of death was “mechanical asphyxia,” meaning she was unable to breathe due to some kind of external force applied to her body. What’s truly shocking and definitive is the specific notation on the certificate: it claims the teenager “was mechanically asphyxiated by other person(s).” The document lists the date of injury as November 6, although the precise time remains unknown.
This tragic ruling comes after Anna was found dead while on vacation with her immediate family. She was traveling on the Carnival Horizon ship with her father, stepmother, grandparents, siblings, and stepsiblings. A security source briefed on the investigation shared some disturbing details about the discovery. Anna was found under a bed, wrapped in a blanket, and covered by several life vests. Finding a loved one hidden like that is just unimaginable for a family already dealing with grief.
The case takes an even more devastating turn when you look at the potential suspect hinted at in court documents
A court filing in an unrelated family court matter suggests a heartbreaking internal betrayal within the family unit. This document indicated that Kepner’s stepbrother, who is a minor, could potentially face charges in connection with Anna’s death. This is the kind of detail that absolutely shatters a family, especially since they were all supposed to be enjoying a vacation together.
While no formal charges have been filed yet, the possibility of a stepbrother being involved underscores the deep tragedy here. The FBI had previously informed the Kepner family that Anna apparently died from asphyxiation, possibly caused by a “bar hold,” which involves an arm being held across the neck. This previous information aligns directly with the official ruling of mechanical asphyxia by “other person(s).”
Anna was a young woman who had so much ahead of her. Her grandparents confirmed that the 18-year-old was scheduled to graduate high school in May and had aspirations of joining the Navy. She was looking forward to serving her country and building a life for herself. It’s a terrible loss of potential when someone so young is taken away so violently.
Grandfather Jeffrey Kepner expressed just how difficult this loss is for them. “We were looking forward to seeing her grow,” he said. You can only imagine the pain the family is dealing with now, especially with the implication that the perpetrator may be someone so close to them.
As of right now, the investigation is still ongoing and many key pieces of information are missing. The authorities are keeping tight-lipped about the specifics. We still haven’t seen the official autopsy or toxicology reports, which would provide the most definitive evidence regarding the circumstances surrounding her death. Both the Miami-Dade medical examiner and the FBI declined to comment on Monday when contacted about the case.
We recently had several stories of gender-based violence. This one seems to be adding on to the pile.
Published: Nov 25, 2025 07:00 pm