Overview — An 18-year-old high school student, identified as Anna Kepner, was found dead aboard the Carnival Horizon while the ship was on a Caribbean cruise; preliminary reporting has raised the possibility of foul play and prompted an FBI review of the incident.
Anna Kepner, 18, was pronounced dead while the Carnival Horizon was at sea on Friday, November 7. The ship docked in Miami the next day, and federal agents began an inquiry; officials have not yet publicly released a cause of death.
An unrelated court filing obtained by the Daily Mail notes that Shauntel Hudson — who recently married Anna’s father, Chris Kepner — filed a motion on Nov. 17 asking for more time to respond to divorce-related filings and cited an “extremely sensitive and severe circumstance.”
Federal Bureau of Investigation (F.B.I.) Case
A court filing cited in reporting states: “Currently there is an investigation being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (F.B.I.) arising out of the sudden death of eighteen-year-old Anna Kepner,” and notes Hudson was advised that “a criminal case may be initiated against one” of her minor children.
The filing adds that any testimony from the respondent could be “prejudicial to her or her adolescent child in this pending criminal investigation,” and therefore the respondent cannot be compelled to testify — language commonly used to protect parents and minors during active probes.
NBC News reports that a separate Nov. 18 filing identifies Hudson’s teenage son as a suspect; that report and the court documents should be consulted directly for exact wording, and it is essential to note that identification in a filing is not the same as criminal charges filed by prosecutors.
Timeline — What happened
According to reporting, Anna Kepner complained of feeling ill on the evening of Thursday, Nov. 6, and returned to her cabin; the following morning, a member of the ship’s housekeeping staff discovered her and reported she had been found dead in the cabin. Sources cited by outlets say she was found under the bed, wrapped in a blanket, and with life jackets nearby. These are details from initial reports and should be confirmed with the official investigation and any medical examiner findings.
Anna, a high school senior and cheerleader in Titusville, Florida, was traveling with her father, his new wife (her stepmother), and three stepsiblings. Her father, Chris Kepner, told the press that “everybody was questioned” after the ship docked and that investigators removed everyone from the vessel as part of the inquiry. He described Anna as “an 18‑year‑old, beautiful young girl” with a whole life ahead of her; her obituary similarly recalls a bubbly, outgoing teen who “loved her siblings deeply.”
Sources and Next Steps
Initial accounts (Daily Mail and other outlets) provided details of the scene and the timeline; Carnival Cruise Line has said it is supporting the family and cooperating with federal investigators. As this is an active matter, the official cause of death and any medical examiner report are not public in these reports. Those documents and any subsequent court filings or prosecutor statements should be consulted for authoritative information about the death and whether investigators have moved from inquiry to a formal criminal case.
Carnival Cruise Line released a brief statement to ABC News saying, “Our focus is on supporting the family of our guest and cooperating with the FBI.” The company confirmed the passenger’s death and said it is assisting investigators as they review the incident on the Carnival Horizon cruise.
Where The Reporting Stands
Officials have not publicly released a cause of death or any medical examiner findings, and no public prosecutor has announced criminal charges tied to the matter. The court filings referenced in media reports indicate that investigators have discussed the possibility of initiating a criminal case involving one minor child in the household.
Still, filings and news reporting are not the same as a criminal charging decision. We will update this story as court records, medical examiner reports, or law enforcement statements become available.
