Anna Kepner: Mom of teen who died on cruise ship remembers her daughterâs constant smile
The Brief
Anna Kepnerâs mother is remembering her daughter as a joyful, compassionate teen who was “always happy” and loved cheering and horseback riding.
The 18-year-old was found dead aboard a cruise ship earlier this month, and a 16-year-old stepbrother is identified in court filings as a suspect in an ongoing FBI investigation.
As the family prepares for her Nov. 20 funeral, officials have released few details about how she died.
ORLANDO, Fla. – The mother of Anna Kepner, the 18-year-old found dead aboard a cruise ship, is sharing memories of her daughter and describing her as a joyful, compassionate young woman.
It is an interview you will see first on FOX 35.
âJust always happy’
What they’re saying:
Heather Kepner said Anna was “always happy,” recalling her daughterâs love of horseback riding and cheerleading. She also shared childhood photos, noting that Anna seemed to be smiling in every picture.
“She was a really good child. She never really complained about much. She never really cried that much as a baby and as a teenager she was the same. Just always happy,” Kepner told FOX 35 News.
Childhood photo of Anna Kepner provided by Heather Kepner.
Heather, who lives in Oklahoma and did not see her daughter regularly in recent years, said Anna had a gift for lifting othersâ spirits and cherished becoming a big sister.
“She was always trying to make everybody smile,” she said. “An extremely happy child.”
Who was Anna Kepner?
Anna Kepner was a senior at Temple Christian School in Titusville, Florida. She was preparing to graduate in Spring 2026 and had dreams of joining the U.S. Navy and eventually becoming a K-9 police officer, according to her family and an online obituary.
“Anna was pure energy: bubbly, funny, outgoing, and completely herself. She never had a filter, and that was part of her charm. Whether she was practicing new makeup looks (even if she had nowhere to go), making TikToks in front of the mirror, or blasting a perfectly curated playlist on the boat, Anna lived every day with her whole heart. She loved the sun, the water, boat days, island days, and beach days, anything that let her soak in the light she so easily radiated to others,” reads her obituary.
She attended several high schools: Titusville High School, where she was a member of the varsity cheer team. She then moved over to Astronaut High School, before joining Temple Christian School.
What we know about Anna Kepner’s death
The backstory:
FOX 35 has learned that Anna Kepner died aboard the Carnival Horizon cruise ship at 11:17 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 7, according to the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner.
The ship was already on its way back from its Caribbean destinations. It arrived at PortMiami on Saturday morning.
The Daily Mail, citing unnamed sources, revealed grisly details on Kepner’s alleged death. Federal nor state officials have not confirmed any of those details.
Fox News Digital, citing a law enforcement source, reported that authorities have recovered surveillance video from the cruise ship, which shows Kepner with a “suspect,” and that the FBI is reviewing thousands of hours of surveillance video.
Authorities also have access to records of room key swipes aboard the ship, the source told FOX News Digital.
Anna Kepner’s stepbrother a ‘suspect’ in her death: FBI
Anna Kepner’s stepmother and her ex-husband are in the middle of an unrelated child custody civil case in Florida court. However, in those documents, it reveals that a 16-year-old step-sibling is part of an “open F.B.I. investigation” related to the “tragic situation” of Kepner’s death.
“It is true that there is an open investigation regarding the death of the biological daughter of the step-father and (16-year-old) is a suspect regarding this death which occurred recently on a cruise ship,” reads part of the latest court filing.
It also reveals that the 16-year-old is now living with a relative of his mother. The document also mentioned that it is believed that an attorney has been hired to represent the 16-year-old.
To date, the FBI has released very few details publicly about the death of Kepner. The FBI has not formally confirmed it has launched an investigation, citing agency policy not to comment on an active investigation. The FBI has also not released details on how Kepner died, the circumstances of her death, nor named anyone a potential person of interest or suspect.
What they’re saying:
Those court documents from a civil divorce case between Annaâs stepmother and her former husband start to paint a picture of the investigation as documents state the 16-year-old son of Annaâs stepmother is allegedly a suspect.
“Itâs entirely possible that this child is, in fact, a suspect because, frankly, everyone might be by the FBI right now,” said Criminal Defense Attorney Michael Panella. “Just because some attorneys put that in a tit-for-tat pleading war in a domestic relations case, doesnât actually give us solid information for which we should go off of.”
The court documents are part of a custody dispute and though Panella is not associated with the case, he says the documents arenât sworn statements.
“We shouldnât be taking these types of statements in a domestic relations case, that are unsworn, as gospel about who is or who isnât a suspect in this case,” said Panella.
We do know the FBI is investigating Annaâs death and former Chief Judge Belvin Perry says investigators will have to lean on the evidence before ruling out a suspect or making an official arrest.
“You want to sift through the videos that were taken. You want to check the swipe cards that show who went in and out of this room,” said Perry. “Someone does not become a suspect unless there is some type of information that makes them focus on that person.”
Anna Kepner’s step-grandfather: ‘All I know is that she went on that boat, and she never came back’
What they’re saying:
Fox News Digital talked with Christopher Donohue, Anna Kepner’s step-grandfather on Wednesday. He said he was not on the cruise at the time, but said everyone has more questions than answers.
“All I know is that she went on that boat, and she never came back,” he said, according to FOX News Digital.
“You donât go 0 to 100, but we werenât on the boat. Everyone is heartbroken. There are questions. I donât think weâll ever know.”
He told the news outlet that he hasn’t seen Anna a lot since her mom and father became estranged in 2023.
“We are living in a nightmare,” he said, adding that he’s finding out the latest on the investigation from news reports, not the FBI or Kepner’s Family.
Timeline:
Nov. 7 â Anna Kepner was found dead aboard Carnival Horizon cruise ship while out at sea.
Nov. 8 â Carnival Horizon returns to PortMiami
Nov. 9 â Temple Christian School posts tribute to Anna Kepner on Facebook
Nov. 10 â Carnival cruise line confirmed a passenger died aboard its Horizons ship, forcing the ship to return to Miami. A memorial is held outside Temple Christian School. Anna Kepner’s vehicle is decorated with flowers and balloons.
Nov. 11 â Anna Kepner’s obituary was posted online.
Nov. 11 â FOX 35 talks with one of Anna’s best friends, who remembered her as joyful.
Nov. 18 â Court filing indicates a potential FBI criminal investigation related to Anna Kepner’s death.
Nov. 20 â Celebration of Life for Anna Kepner planned.
Funeral arrangements
What they’re saying:
Anna Kepner’s funeral is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 20 at a funeral home in her hometown, according to a public online posting.
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