Schoolgirl Anna Kepner, 18, dies aboard Carnival cruise ship traveling from Miami to Caribbean: FBI launch probe
An 18-year-old schoolgirl has died aboard a Carnival cruise ship sailing from Miami to the Caribbean.
Straight-A student Anna Kepner, from Florida, died on the Carnival Horizon on Saturday.
Further details on how she died have not been released, with the Horizon returning to port after the tragedy. The FBI is investigating her death.
Kepner had just started her senior year at high school and was planning on joining the military.
‘When she walked into a room, she would light it up,’ a relative told ABC News.
‘If you were sad, she’d make you laugh. She would joke around and be the funniest little person in school.’
‘She had just finished taking the test to join the military,’ they added.
‘She was already talking to recruiters and had chosen her career path. She wanted to do something that would help her community.’
Anna Kepner died aboard Carnival Horizon on Saturday. She was 18-years-old
Straight-A student Anna Kepner, from Florida, died on the Carnival Horizon (pictured)
Carnival Cruise Line confirmed her death in a statement to ABC, adding: ‘Our focus is on supporting the family of our guest and cooperating with the FBI.’
Kepner’s family said she volunteered in her grandparents’ 55+ neighborhood and helped out at local businesses in her home town of Titusville, Florida.
‘She loved being around people,’ her family said.
‘She had that type of energy that just drew you in with her smile and the way she carried herself. She was such an easy person to talk to.’
‘She was the best child you could ever meet,’ they added. ‘We’ll always remember her for who she was.’
Kepner was on her high school varsity cheerleading team, and she started practicing gymnastics at the age of two.
She had also earned her boater’s license and scuba certification.
Kepner had just started her senior year at high school and was planning on joining the military
‘When she walked into a room, she would light it up,’ a relative said of Kepner
Kepner had just started her senior year at high school and was planning on joining the military
The Carnival Horizon ship which Kepner was on board traveled through the Western Carribbean, docking at Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel.
Kepner’s death came on the final day of the trip. Passengers were told to leave their cabins earlier than usual, according to Cruise Blog.
This is a breaking news story with updates to follow.
