The death of 18-year-old Anna Kepner on a Carnival cruise ship has been ruled a homicide, according to a copy of the death certificate issued Monday and provided to ABC News by Kepner’s family.
The document said death was caused by “mechanical asphyxiation” and the date of injury was listed as November 6, although the time was unknown. It says the teen “was mechanically asphyxiated by another person(s).”
Autopsy and toxicology reports have not been released and the Miami-Dade medical examiner declined to comment Monday. The FBI has not previously commented and did not respond to a request for comment on Monday.
The news comes weeks after the Florida teenager was found dead on the Carnival Horizon ship while on vacation with her grandparents, father, stepmother, brothers and stepbrothers. She was found dead under a bed, wrapped in a blanket and covered by life jackets, according to a security source briefed on the investigation.
The family of 18-year-old Anna Kepner, who was reported dead while aboard the Carnival Horizon cruise ship on Saturday, says they will remember her as a happy, cheerful, straight-A student with a bright future ahead of her.
kepner family
The Kepner family previously told ABC News that the FBI said Anna apparently died of asphyxiation, possibly caused by a bar – an arm over her neck.
A court filing in an unrelated family court matter noted that Kepner’s stepbrother, a minor, could face charges.
No charges have been filed.
Kepner’s grandparents said the independent 18-year-old would graduate high school in May and aspired to join the Navy.
“We were looking forward to watching her grow up,” grandfather Jeffrey Kepner told ABC News.
