TITUSVILLE, Fla. — Friends and family gathered Thursday to honor the life of 18-year-old Anna Kepner, the Titusville teen who was found dead earlier this month aboard a Carnival cruise ship.
Hundreds packed into the Grove Church for her celebration of life, where loved ones remembered Anna as a bright, fun, and energetic young woman. “The service was great, it was awesome,” Anna’s boyfriend’s uncle said, calling the ceremony deeply emotional. He said the family is hoping investigators uncover exactly what led to Anna’s death.
Videos and photos shared across Anna’s social media played during the service, clips of her dancing, smiling, and enjoying life. Those who attended said the images captured her personality perfectly and made her loss even more difficult to comprehend.
Sibling considered suspect
Anna was found dead while on a family cruise with her father, stepmother, and 16-year-old stepbrother. Sources told ABC News that her body was discovered wrapped in a blanket and covered with life vests.
Court documents obtained by Action News Jax’s Orlando station WFTV show the 16-year-old stepbrother is now considered a suspect. Family members say he was sharing a cabin with Anna at the time of her death.
Anna’s death was also referenced on Thursday during a separate custody hearing involving her stepmother and her ex-husband. During the hearing, attorneys discussed who was responsible for providing supervision aboard the ship and raised conflicting claims about whether minors had access to alcohol.
The ex-husband’s attorney suggested that the cruise being in international waters affected drinking rules. The mother’s lawyer countered and said that “videotapes on the ship confirm that there was absolutely no drinking,” involving the teen.
The 16-year-old was hospitalized immediately after the incident, according to statements made during the hearing. He is now staying with another family member as investigators continue their work.
Loved ones say they are relying on the justice system to determine what happened.
“We have a judicial system. Justice needs to be done,” the boyfriend’s uncle said.
The FBI is leading the investigation, but so far has not announced whether charges will be filed. Officials are still waiting for the medical examiner to determine the cause and manner of Anna’s death.
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