The grieving dad of a high school cheerleader found dead onboard a Carnival cruise ship is begging the FBI for answers – claiming he has ‘no idea’ what happened to her.
Anna Kepner, 18, was on a six-day Caribbean getaway with her family when she was declared dead Friday morning in international waters between Mexico and Florida.
FBI agents and forensic examiners swarmed the Carnival Horizon when it arrived in the Port of Miami around 8am the next day.
They removed the bubbly, straight-A student’s body and completed an on-site investigation within a matter of hours, allowing passengers to disperse and the $800million boat to set sail for Aruba on Saturday evening.
The FBI has confirmed precious few details of the tragedy – merely confirming they ‘responded to the scene.’
Speaking to the Daily Mail in an exclusive interview, Anna’s heartbroken father Christopher Kepner, 41, said agents interviewed his entire travel party, including his two younger children and Anna’s stepmom and stepsiblings.
‘We were there as a family. Everybody was questioned. Everybody came off that ship. I don’t know who they are looking at or what their investigation is,’ said Christopher, of Titusville, Florida.
‘The FBI hasn’t shared anything with me yet. I would imagine they’re going to be in contact with me about it – but I know as little as everybody else.
Chris Kepner says he’s still waiting on answers surrounding his 18-year-old daughter Anna’s (right) sudden death on a Carnival cruise ship on November 7
Anna had been on a six-day family cruise when she was found dead Friday morning in international waters between Mexico and Florida
‘I have no idea what is going on right now. We are just trying to sit still and wait for answers.’
The Miami Dade County Medical Examiner lists Anna’s time of death at 11.17am on November 7 without specifying where or how it happened.
Because the Carnival Horizon – a towering 133,500-gross ton megaship with room for 4,700 guests – was midway between Cozumel and Miami, the inquiry is beyond the scope of local law enforcement and falls under the purview of the FBI.
The information vacuum surrounding Anna’s demise has spawned an avalanche of gory speculation on TikTok, Reddit, and other social media sites.
‘I’ve had to shut the world out. I don’t watch the TV anymore. We’ve literally had to stop doing anything to do with the internet,’ said Christopher, a crane operator.
‘We are very private people. Our lives have been turned upside down.’
Anna – known by her nickname Anna Banana – was set to graduate in May and had plans on joining the military.
A gymnast and varsity cheerleader, she attended Temple Christian School in Titusville, where her Kia Forte was still parked this week, covered in flowers and tributes from her heartbroken pals.
Friends and family have described Anna as a ‘special’, ‘kind-hearted, straight-A student from Florida
The Carnival Horizon had traveled through the Western Caribbean, docking at Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Cozumel
Heartbreaking tributes and flowers have been left on Anna’s car which remains parked outside Temple Christian school in Titusville, Florida
She was a ‘bright, kind-hearted young woman whose presence brought warmth and energy into the classroom,’ the school said in a touching Facebook post.
Anna grew up with her dad, stepmom Tabitha Kepner, 33, and younger brother and sister.
Tabitha told the Daily Mail she was ‘still waiting for answers’ and couldn’t comment further.
Christopher was recently remarried to Shauntel Hudson, 36, who has three kids of her own.
The blended family share a smart, three-bedroom home close to Cape Canaveral and the Kennedy Space Center.
Christopher revealed his daughter’s ultimate career goal was to join the local police department so she could protect her friends and family.
‘Anna was an 18-year-old, beautiful young girl; she had a whole life ahead of her,’ he told the Daily Mail.
‘She was graduating in May and then she was going to go off into the military to be master of arms and after a few years come back to her small town to be a canine unit with the Titusville Police Department.
The Temple Christian School issued a touching statement online, describing the late teen as a ‘bright, kind-hearted young woman’
Anna’s father Chris Kepner recently remarried to Shauntel Hudson, 36, (pictured) who has three kids of her own
The blended family share a modest three-bedroom home close to Cape Canaveral and the Kennedy Space Center in Florida
‘She spent so much time giving to others. If it wasn’t just going to a friend’s house or a family member’s house and noticing that there was dishes in the sink, she was the kind of girl that would do the dishes and not ask for anything.
‘She was full of life and loved by everyone in this community. She was special to so many people.
‘The whole family is lost for words. We miss her and love her more than anything.’
Anna had been on previous cruises and had raved about her love of travel on TikTok.
One post showed her enjoying a cruise on the very same boat six months earlier. She danced about in a white dress and captioned the haunting clip: ‘I wanna go back.’
The Carnival Horizon had visited Jamaica to deliver hurricane aid supplies and made tourism stops in Grand Cayman and Cozumel before heading back to Miami.
When it arrived in port Saturday passengers were told to leave their cabins earlier than usual, according to Cruise Blog.
Carnival said in a statement: ‘Our focus is on supporting the family of our guest and cooperating with the FBI.’
A spokesman for the FBI added: ‘No further information is being released at this time.’
