TITUSVILLE, Fla. – A Titusville community is in mourning after the reported death of 18-year-old Anna Kepner, who authorities say was aboard a Carnival cruise ship that returned to Port Miami over the weekend.
Kepner’s car remains in the parking lot at her school in Brevard County. The community remains shocked and there is limited information available from officials.
According to media reports, Kepner was on the Carnival Horizon when the ship docked in Miami on Saturday morning. The exact cause of death has not been released. News 6 contacted the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s office for confirmation, but were told the spokesperson was off for the holiday.
[WATCH: 18-year-old Titusville student ID’d as passenger who died on Carnival cruise ship]
On Tuesday morning, Carnival Cruises’ senior cruise director posted on X about the incident, writing in part, “What happens on land can sometimes happen at sea. On land, there are first responders who must deal with sadness, heartbreak and see things that can often, I am sure, be traumatising. It’s the same on a ship as well.” The post went on to thank the ship’s medical and emergency response team.
Local organizations and acquaintances also posted tributes. A Facebook message from Excel Martial Arts read in part, “We are completely heartbroken over the loss of Anna K. She was an amazing, super sweet, talented student that had such a big heart.” The academy was closed when reporters visited.
Kepner reportedly worked at a nearby aquarium store, and a staff member declined to give News 6 a comment.
Federal authorities are handling the investigation, and the FBI has confirmed it is continuing to look into the circumstances surrounding her death.