Eighteen-year-old Anna Kepner, a cheerleader and top student from Titusville, Florida, was found dead aboard the Carnival Horizon on November 7, 2025, while returning to Miami. Authorities remain tight-lipped, but new court filings suggest the FBI is investigating her death and may be focusing on someone within her extended family. Anna’s stepmother, Shauntel Hudson, requested delays in family court proceedings to avoid compromising the ongoing investigation.

Anna’s body was discovered by a cabin maid hidden under the bed and covered with life jackets and a blanket. The cruise docked the following morning, and federal authorities immediately took control, as the incident occurred in international waters. Reports indicate Anna had not been feeling well the night before, and her absence at breakfast prompted a search that led to the grim discovery.

Court documents reveal that Anna’s stepmother, her two minor children, and her father Chris Kepner were all aboard the ship at the time. Shauntel’s filing states that FBI guidance and legal advice influenced her request for extra time in divorce proceedings, highlighting the sensitivity and potential involvement of a minor in the investigation.

Federal investigators are reviewing surveillance footage and electronic key card activity to determine who accessed Anna’s cabin. Her cellphone has been seized for forensic analysis, and authorities are interviewing family members, passengers, and crew to reconstruct her final hours. Carnival Cruise Line confirmed its cooperation with the FBI.

Anna’s family described her as a bright, kind, and engaged young woman with aspirations for public service. She was involved in cheerleading, gymnastics, and local volunteering and had recently taken steps toward a military career. Loved by friends and family, she was known affectionately as “Anna Banana.”

The tragedy has left the Kepner family in seclusion as online speculation and social media scrutiny exacerbate their grief. Chris Kepner described the ordeal as agonizing and bewildering, with answers still pending from the FBI. What began as a family cruise has turned into a harrowing investigation and public ordeal for those closest to Anna.