Autopsy Still Pending In Cruise Ship Death Investigation

Authorities are still investigating the mysterious death of an 18-year-old Florida cheerleader who was found dead aboard a Carnival cruise ship earlier this month. Ten days have passed since Anna Kepner, a varsity cheerleader from the Gulf Coast area, was discovered on the Carnival Horizon, but the Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner’s Office has not yet released a cause or manner of death.

Kepner, who had dreams of joining the U.S. Navy and becoming a K-9 police officer, was on a cruise with family when she was reportedly found dead on November 7. The ship returned to PortMiami as scheduled on November 8, and her body was taken to the medical examiner’s office for a full autopsy.

Officials there confirmed to Fox News Digital on Tuesday that the autopsy report is still pending. A spokesperson stated that the medical examiner’s office has not yet made a final determination and no additional details are available at this time.

The FBI is now handling the investigation and has taken the lead, as is standard in cases involving deaths aboard U.S. cruise ships in international waters. Carnival Cruise Line issued a statement saying it is cooperating fully with the FBI’s Miami office.

“Carnival Cruise Line is fully cooperating with the Miami office of the FBI in the investigation of the death of a guest traveling on Carnival Horizon last week,” the statement read. “The ship returned to PortMiami as planned on Saturday morning, Nov. 8, and the FBI has advised that there is no related threat to safety aboard as it sails its current voyage.”

Carnival has referred all other inquiries to the FBI, which has remained mostly quiet about the ongoing investigation.

The case has drawn national attention, in part due to disturbing allegations reported by the Daily Mail. Citing two unnamed sources, the outlet claimed that housekeeping staff found Kepner’s body stuffed under her bed, wrapped in a blanket, and hidden beneath a pile of life jackets. The report also said that she had been feeling ill the night before and left dinner early. The FBI has not confirmed those details, and as of now, they remain unverified.

Social media posts made by Kepner in the days leading up to the cruise suggest she may have been dealing with emotional stress. In an October 26 TikTok video, she appeared to reference a recent breakup and shared a series of photos with the caption, “Even after every breakup, being disrespected, being lied to, being cheated on, being used, getting manipulated, getting played, I will always have a smile on my face and a kind heart.”