Anna Kepner’s 16-year-old stepbrother has been charged with murder and aggravated sexual abuse in the November death on a Carnival cruise ship.
What we know about the case
Anna Kepner She was traveling with her family on the Carnival Horizon in November when her body was discovered on November 6, hidden under a bed in the cabin she shared with two other teenagers, including her stepbrother. The ship is nearing the end of its voyage and plans to return to Florida.
An autopsy determined the cause of death to be mechanical asphyxia, in which breathing is obstructed by external force or pressure.
“Our hearts go out to the victim’s family during this unimaginable loss,” U.S. Attorney Jason Redding Quinones said in a written statement. “A federal grand jury has returned an indictment alleging serious crimes that allegedly occurred aboard a vessel in international waters.”
The boy was initially charged as a juvenile on February 2 and the case remains sealed. The document was unsealed after U.S. District Judge Beth Blum ruled at the request of federal prosecutors that he would be prosecuted as an adult. Court records show the defense made no objection. If convicted, he could face up to life in prison.
Who is Anna Kepner?
Anna Kepner, 18, is a high school senior from Titusville, Florida, expected to graduate in 2026.
A Georgia Bulldogs fan, she hopes to become a cheerleader for the University of Georgia.
Anna also planned to join the U.S. Navy and later serve as a K9 officer, according to her obituary.
“She had just finished her military exams,” her family told ABC News. “She was already talking to recruiters and choosing her career path. She wanted to do something that would help her community.”
Her obituary described her as “pure energy,” “bubbly, fun, outgoing, and completely herself.”
“She never wears a filter, that’s part of her charm,” the description continues. “Whether she’s practicing a new makeup look (even if she has nowhere to go), making TikToks in front of the mirror, or playing a carefully curated playlist on the boat. Anna lives her life wholeheartedly every day. She loves the sun, the water, days on the boat, days on the island and days at the beach, anything that allows her to soak up the sunshine and she radiates it to others with ease.”
Also read: Anna Kepner’s Cause of Death: What is Barbell Asphyxia? Carnival cruise case shocking
Anna Kepner’s family
Anna is the daughter of Christopher “Chris” Kepner and Heather Wright. Her stepmother, Shortell Hudson-Kepner, who was married to her father, was also on the cruise.
brothers and sisters
She is survived by seven siblings: Andrew, Tim, Alex, Connor, Cody, Kelly and Brooke.
Her obituary read: “She loved her siblings dearly and made sure they always felt her love, whether taking them to the park, Halloween Horror Nights, or just hanging out because that was who she was: thoughtful, nurturing, and always thinking of others.”
(With input from The Associated Press)
