The final social media activity of a girl who died aboard a Carnival cruise ship has come to light.
Anna Kepner, an 18-year-old high school senior from Titusville, Florida, passed away under mysterious circumstances while traveling with her family on the ship.
She was aboard the Carnival Horizon cruise, which returned to Miami from the Caribbean on Saturday (November 8), concluding a six-day voyage.
Kepner’s family reported her passing during the trip. The authorities, including the FBI, are investigating her death, though they have yet to disclose any specifics about the case.
Her family shared with ABC News: “She was a people person. She loved being around people. 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.”
Kepner, who was also a member of her school’s varsity cheerleading team, was expected to graduate in May and had aspirations to join the military.
“She had just finished taking the test to join the military,” her family noted. “She was already talking to recruiters and had chosen her career path. She wanted to do something that would help her community.”
Carnival Cruise Line has verified the death of a passenger aboard the ship and issued a statement: “Since this is an ongoing matter under the jurisdiction of law enforcement, all media inquiries need to be directed to the FBI’s Miami public affairs office.
“Our focus is on supporting the family of our guest and cooperating with the FBI.”
The FBI informed People magazine of their involvement, with Special Agent Willie Creech stating: “Because this is an ongoing matter, no further information is available at this time.”
Following the announcement of Kepner’s death, her last social media post surfaced.
On October 30, she posted a bathroom-mirror selfie on TikTok, with the text: “You deserve to be happy, but if it ain’t with me, then nvm.”
She captioned the post: “Haha I’m not kidding,” using the hashtags ‘#comeherebae’ and ‘#funny’.
Kepner’s school paid tribute to her, with a teacher from Temple Christian School expressing on Facebook how she ‘brought warmth and energy into the classroom’.
“Your curiosity, your gentle spirit, and the way you cared for those around you made a lasting impression on me and on everyone who knew you,” the teacher added. “I will miss you poking your head in my office to say hello, which often turned into a fun 15-minute conversation.”
Her family is still coming to terms with her passing, describing her as the ‘best child you could ever meet’ and stating: “We’ll always remember her for who she was.”