The death of 18-year-old Anna Kepner aboard a Carnival cruise ship has been ruled a homicide, according to ABC News, which reported that her family obtained an official death certificate.
The document lists her cause of death as “mechanical asphyxia” and states that she was “mechanically asphyxiated by other person(s).” The date of her fatal injury is recorded as Nov. 6.
Kepner’s body was discovered under a bed on the Carnival Horizon by a housekeeper. She had been on the cruise with her father, stepmother, three stepsiblings and grandparents.
On the night before she disappeared, Kepner told her family she wasn’t feeling well and returned to her room. She was later reported missing and subsequently found dead.
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Because the incident took place in international waters, the FBI is leading the investigation into her death.
In a court filing related to a custody dispute, Kepner’s stepmother, Shauntel Hudson, acknowledged that one of the teen’s stepsiblings could face criminal charges in connection with the case. The filing was submitted in response to an emergency motion by her ex-husband, Thomas Hudson, who stated that their “sixteen year old child is now a suspect in the death of the step child during the cruise.”
The FBI has confirmed it is investigating the case but has not publicly identified any suspect or person of interest.
Kepner’s grandparents recently spoke with ABC News, describing the close bond between Anna and her stepbrother, saying the two were like “two peas in a pod.” Her grandmother, Barbara Kepner, said he appeared deeply distressed after Anna’s body was discovered.
