Anna Kepner death: Few answers for family of Titusville teen found dead on cruise ship
Anna Kepner's family seeks answers after Titusville teen's death
One week after 17-year-old Anna Kepner of Titusville died aboard the Carnival Horizon, the FBI investigation into her death continues with few answers for her family..
ORLANDO, Fla. - One week after 17-year-old Anna Kepner of Titusville died aboard the Carnival Horizon, the FBI investigation into her death continues with few answers for her family.
What we know:
The Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner’s Office released Kepner’s time of death at 11:17 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 7, while the ship was at sea.
The vessel did not dock in Miami until nearly 24 hours later. Federal authorities have not indicated how she died, and the FBI said Thursday there were no new updates.
Carnival said in a statement that the matter remains under law enforcement jurisdiction and that its focus is "on supporting the family of our guest."
What we don't know:
Authorities have released very few details into Kepner's death.
Dig deeper:
For the Kepner family, the silence is painfully familiar to Jamie Barnett, whose daughter Ashley died on a Carnival cruise in 2005. Barnett said she struggled for years to get information from the cruise line and investigators.
Jamie Barnett (left) with her daughter, Ashley, who died on a Carnival cruise in 2005.
"Every time I would talk to the FBI, the standard comment was, ‘We can’t comment on that. It would jeopardize the integrity of the investigation,’" she said.
Barnett said deaths at sea can be especially difficult to investigate because of jurisdictional challenges and limited independent oversight.
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"The ocean isn’t regulated. It’s almost lawless territory on the high seas," she said. "There’s no independent police on a cruise ship that’s going to investigate thoroughly."
What you can do:
As the investigation continues, Kepner’s family is asking the community to honor Anna with "laughter, color, sunshine and love," as described in her obituary. A celebration of life is scheduled for Nov. 20. More details can be found here.
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The family is also asking supporters to leave flowers on her car, still parked at Temple Christian, rather than bring them to the service.
The Source: This story was written based on information shared by Carnival Cruise Line, the Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner’s Office, and an interview conducted by FOX 35's Esther Bower with Jamie Barnett, whose daughter Ashley died on a Carnival cruise in 2005.