Carnival Cruise Ship's Latest Passenger Death Is Beyond Heartbreaking

Booking a fun, family-friendly vacation to the Caribbean on board a cruise ship sounds like a dream, but for a family on board a recent Carnival Horizon cruise ship, that dream turned into a living nightmare. Carnival cruise ship's latest passenger death is beyond heartbreaking: Over the weekend, 18-year-old Anna Kepner was found deceased by her family during their cruise that was sailing from Miami to the Caribbean.

On Saturday, November 8, Anna's family regrettably discovered the deceased body of their daughter who, per their statement to ABC News, "loved being around people." At 18-years-old, Anna had her whole life ahead of her, and was about to graduate high school in May. Her family said she was dedicated to pursuing a career in the military in order to do "something that would help her community." 

Remembered by her family as a straight-A student that would "light up" any room she walked into and make you laugh if you were sad, the details behind Anna's death are still being investigated by the FBI. The Caribbean bound Carnival cruise from Miami was returned back to its port of origin on Saturday, November 9. 

Anna, or "Anna Banana" as affectionately referred to by her grandmother, was a big sister to her two younger siblings and the daughter of Chris and Shauntel Kepner. She grew up in Titusville, Florida, where she was a familiar face with her deep roots in the community. Her parents mentioned that Anna was a regular volunteer within her grandparent's 55+ community, and was always ready to lend a helping hand at local businesses. The family fondly reminisced about Anna to ABC News, stating that "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." Anna was an athlete who excelled in gymnastics since she was two-years-old, which followed her to high school where she joined the varsity cheerleading team. Also passionate about the water, Anna received her boater's license and scuba certification.

With the tragic events surrounding the case, future passengers may be asking themselves how safe are you on a cruise and what happens when cruise passengers die on board? Following the return of the Carnival Horizon cruise ship to the Miami port on November 9, a spokesperson for Carnival Cruise Line mentioned to People that, since the FBI is still investigating, it is entirely up to Miami's FBI jurisdiction and law enforcement to release any further details surrounding the young teen's death. The spokesperson for Carnival has also mentioned that right now their "focus is on supporting the family of our guest."