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Miami-Dade, FL - A Miami-Dade medical examiner has ruled the death of 18-year-old Anna Kepner aboard a Carnival cruise ship a homicide caused by mechanical asphyxiation, while investigators continue examining the circumstances inside the cabin where she was found.
The death of Florida teenager Anna Kepner aboard the Carnival Horizon has been ruled a homicide after the medical examiner determined she died from mechanical asphyxia caused by another person.
The ruling, documented in her death certificate, states that the 18-year-old was mechanically asphyxiated by other persons, a form of suffocation caused by pressure or force that prevents normal breathing.
Kepner had been traveling with family members on a Western Caribbean itinerary when she was found dead on the morning of November 7th.
Her grandmother reported that a room attendant discovered her body concealed under a bed in the cabin she shared with two other teenagers, including a 16-year-old stepbrother.
Court filings submitted by the stepbrother’s parents in an unrelated custody case identify him as a suspect.
No charges have been filed and no arrest report has been released.
Authorities recorded Kepner’s time of death as 11:17 a.m.
The ship returned to PortMiami on November 8th, where federal investigators continued processing evidence.
Preliminary information provided to the family indicated there were no signs of sexual assault and no indication of drugs or alcohol in her system.
Federal authorities often face delays in cruise ship investigations due to international maritime jurisdiction and limited access to cabins until a vessel reaches port.
The FBI has not issued further public updates as the investigation remains active.