Overview
- Anna Kepner, 18, was found under a bed on the Carnival Horizon, wrapped in a blanket and covered by life vests, according to sources briefed on the probe.
- Preliminary reporting from an investigation‑briefed source indicates death by asphyxiation from a bar hold with two neck bruises and no initial signs of sexual assault or intoxicants, pending official reports.
- Court filings in an unrelated custody case identify her 16-year-old stepbrother as a suspect, and her stepmother said the FBI warned a criminal case may be initiated against a minor child.
- Investigators are reviewing ship surveillance, electronic key-swipe logs, cellphone data, and interviews, with one source saying video shows Kepner with a ‘suspect.’
- Reports from a court hearing say the teen stepbrother was hospitalized immediately after the ship returned to Miami, while the FBI leads the case and Carnival says it is cooperating; no charges have been announced.