Anna Kepner, the 18-year-old found dead on a Caribbean cruise earlier this month, is believed to have died from asphyxiation, according to ABC News, which cited sources familiar with the investigation.
Kepner was discovered under a bed on a Carnival cruise ship on Nov. 8. Investigators have preliminarily determined that she died of asphyxiation caused by a bar hold — described as an arm held across the neck — ABC News reported. Full autopsy and toxicology results have not yet been released.
ABC also reported that Kepner’s body showed no signs of sexual assault and that no drugs or alcohol were found in her system.
The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner Department declined to comment on Friday, citing the ongoing investigation. A medical examiner was not available to confirm the ABC News update.
The FBI has not publicly commented on the case.
Kepner, a high school cheerleader from Titusville, Florida, was traveling with her father, stepmother, and two step-siblings, CBS News previously reported. The night before she was found, she went to bed early, telling relatives she didn’t feel well, according to the outlet.
In an online obituary, Kepner is remembered as a thoughtful and caring teenager who was “always thinking of others.” The tribute described her as someone with “a big, beautiful heart,” known for sending spontaneous “I love you” messages and small gestures meant to brighten someone else’s day.
No suspect or person of interest has been publicly identified.
However, in separate court filings unrelated to Kepner’s death, her stepmother, Shauntel Hudson, said the FBI had told her that one of Hudson’s minor children might face criminal charges, according to Florida Today, FOX 35, and CBS News. The filing was tied to Hudson’s ongoing custody dispute with her former husband and did not specify whether any potential charges are connected to Kepner’s death.
