The death of 18-year-old Anna Kepner aboard the Carnival Horizon has been ruled a homicide, confirming fears surrounding the tragedy that occurred earlier this month. A death certificate obtained by ABC News states that the Florida teenager died from "mechanical asphyxia" caused by "other person(s)." The time of death was recorded as 11:17 a.m. on November 7, just one day before the ship returned to its scheduled port in Miami.
Dr. Stephen Nelson, a chief medical examiner in Central Florida who reviewed the case details independently, explained that mechanical asphyxia occurs when a physical force or object cuts off a person’s airway. He described the circumstances as "highly, highly suspicious," particularly noting the discovery of the body. According to Kepner’s grandmother, a room attendant found the teenager concealed under a bed in the cabin she shared with two other family members. Nelson noted that if toxicology reports come back clean, the concealment of the body makes a homicide ruling clear.
Kepner, a high school cheerleader from Florida’s Space Coast, was on a vacation with her father, stepmother, step-siblings, and grandparents. Her grandmother, Barbara Kepner, recalled that Anna had spent the previous evening with them in the ship’s casino, telling them she loved them before heading to her room. That was the last time the family saw her alive.
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