A Teen's Life Cut Short on a Cruise: What Went Wrong?

A young life was tragically cut short on a family cruise. Anna Kepner, an 18-year-old from Titusville, Florida, was found lifeless under a bed on the Carnival Horizon on November 8. She was wrapped in a blanket and covered by life vests. Early signs point to asphyxiation, possibly from a bar hold—a move where an arm is used to restrict someone's neck. Two bruises on her neck support this theory. However, the final autopsy and toxicology reports are still pending. Anna was on a family trip with her father, stepmother, and two step-siblings. She was sharing a stateroom with her 16-year-old stepbrother. Reports suggest that the boy was allowed to drink while the ship was in international waters. This detail comes from an attorney involved in a separate custody dispute. After the ship docked in Miami, the boy was taken to the hospital. The FBI and Carnival Cruise Line have not publicly disclosed how Anna died or if a crime occurred. They are also not saying what led them to focus on the teen stepbrother. Carnival Cruise Line is cooperating with the FBI's investigation. They stated their focus is on supporting Anna's family and cooperating with the FBI. Details about the teen's possible involvement surfaced during a family court hearing. The parents, Shauntel Hudson and her ex-husband, Thomas Hudson, acknowledged in court filings that their middle child, identified only as "TH, " is under FBI investigation. Shauntel Hudson asked the court to delay a custody hearing. The parents agreed to have the boy temporarily live with a relative. Anna's biological mother, Heather Wright, learned of her daughter's death through Google searches. She said she only knew Anna was on a cruise. Anna, a high school cheerleader expected to graduate next year, was memorialized at a church in Titusville. Hundreds of mourners attended, encouraged to wear bright colors in honor of Anna's "bright and beautiful soul. "