Anna Kepner’s death on cruise ship ruled a homicide

The tragic death of 18-year-old Anna Kepner on a Carnival cruise ship has been officially ruled as a homicide, according to her family who provided a copy of the death certificate to ABC News. The document states that the cause of death was “mechanical asphyxia” and the date of injury was listed as November 6th, although the exact time is unknown. It further indicates that Anna was “mechanically asphyxiated by other person(s).”

While autopsy and toxicology reports have not been released, the Miami-Dade medical examiner has declined to comment on the case. The FBI, who is also involved in the investigation, has not provided any official statements regarding the incident.

The news of Anna’s death comes as a shock to her family, who were on vacation with her at the time aboard the Carnival Horizon ship. She was discovered dead under a bed, wrapped in a blanket and covered by life vests, as per a security source briefed on the matter.

The Kepner family had previously shared with ABC News that the FBI suggested Anna may have died from asphyxiation, possibly from a bar hold – an arm across the neck. In an unrelated family court filing, it was noted that Anna’s stepbrother, a minor, could potentially face charges in connection to her death, although no charges have been filed at this time.

Described as an independent and ambitious young woman, Anna was set to graduate high school in May and had dreams of joining the Navy. Her grandparents expressed their devastation over the loss, stating, “We were looking forward to seeing her grow.”

As the investigation into Anna Kepner’s tragic death continues, her family and loved ones are left grappling with the unanswered questions surrounding the circumstances that led to her untimely passing.